


Charming Relief

by khyharah



Category: Sons of Anarchy, Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: AH - Freeform, AU, F/M, May contain triggers but nothing too hard, Rare Pairings, Rating May Change, Season/Series 01, Slow Romance, cuz i don't like him, if you like edward don't read, mcs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-04-22 09:09:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 89,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14305431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/khyharah/pseuds/khyharah
Summary: A woman kept from a father she never knew, a man struggling with a daughter he never even knew about it, and a man struggling with his own identity. Three people brought together to create a better life for all those around them.





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> This is published over on ff.net and I honestly need to finish it. It's been over a year since I've even looked at it and it's bugging the tar outta me! So I'm going through and editing so I can publish here and update there and maybe get back into the groove. So please enjoy my trip into two of my favorite worlds (though honestly, I really only enjoy Twilight fanfiction anymore. Canon just bugs me lol)
> 
> Standard Disclaimers Apply: I am not Stephenie Meyer not Kurt Sutter. I make no money. I just like to play around with their characters :-)

            Bella Swan was desperate. For years she had held out hope for some kind of rescue. But now? Now it was time to take matters into her own hands. Michael’s attack was the last straw. She was going to Charlie.

            It took little to no time to pack her meager belongings into a small duffle bag she had squirreled away. Quietly, she placed it behind the door. Midnight couldn’t come fast enough. They would be passed out by then and Bella would be able to make her escape. She had spent many sleepless nights chipping away at the cheap paint around the window in her room. And then many more nights greasing the sides so the window would not make a sound when she opened it.

            She sat quietly on her bed, listening to the sounds of the derelict building. It was the last of a long line of crappy places. But no more. No more cold nights on the bare mattress on the floor. No more tolerating sneers or dirty names or beatings. Never again would her mother’s hand touch her face in anger. The leers from her “boyfriends”, the wandering hands copping a feel. All of it was done. She was running and no one would stop her.

            Bella had frequently wondered what her life would’ve been like if her mother had just said “Fuck it” and left her with her father. Would they have stayed in one spot her whole life? Would he have let her have her own things? A T.V., decent clothes, a computer? Was he caring? Did he even think of his long gone daughter?

            That last question she knew the answer to. During one of her few trips to the school library, she had looked up her father, one Charlie Swan. That was all she knew of him until that point. But now she had a plethora of information about him and his 17 year search for her. From what she could find, Charlie Swan had come home from his first day back on the job after she was born to find his house ransacked and his girlfriend and daughter gone. His frantic search began that day. All the money that had been in the house was gone, all of Renee’s possessions, but oddly, barely anything of Bella’s was gone. The only thing of hers missing was a few onsies, the diapers, and formula (because Renee refused to breastfeed). No toys, bibs, nothing of significance.  So Charlie started where he knew best: Forks, Washington. No sign there so he continued his search through the west coast and eventually spreading throughout the US. But every time he got anywhere close, any solid lead, he would hit a dead end. But what Bella noticed was that when he got close, it would coincide with memories of Renee picking them up and moving somewhere. Just before the librarian came over to shoo her back to class, Bella managed to get an address and phone number for him. The information had been hidden deep under her mattress on the floor just waiting for the right time. Now it was in rested in her bag ready to be used.

            Bella tensed as she heard the loud voices outside her door. “Hey babe, let’s get Bella, give her another lesson on how to treat a man.” Michael. _Shit_ she thought. This wasn’t good. He was relentless. But this time, Renee’s “seductiveness” won out. “Oh leave her alone. You just gave her a lesson the other night didn’t you?” She giggles, high pitched and nauseatingly sweet.

            All the blood drained from Bella’s face. No way she’d heard what she thought she heard. Renee knew? She knew Michael had been in her room, ripped her clothes off, beat her, tried to…. _NO!_ She wouldn’t think about it. He didn’t succeed, thanks to a quick kick straight to the balls. Bella couldn’t help the smirk that grew on her face as she remember the way he had curled up, holding himself and groaning like a baby. Shaking herself sharply, Bella refocused her hearing. She shouldn’t really be surprised that Renee was so nonchalant about her most recent companion attacking her only child. Renee never gave a shit about her anyways. She always did the absolute bare minimum to keep authorities away. She at least had enough sense to do that. So yeah, Bella was fed, mostly clean, and mostly clothed. But she completely lacked the things she needed most: love, affection, stability.

            Bella cringed upon hearing the laughter turn to deep moans. She knew what was coming now. The moans lead to slaps on the ass and screams of “pleasure”. So she did the only thing she could do: bury he head under her pillow, hum, and wait it out. After several hours (or at least it seemed to her) the headboard stopped banging on the wall. She listened for the panting breaths to turn into the slow deep breaths of sleep. Again she waited on the edge of her bed until the snores finally started.

            Standing a quietly as possible, Bella tip toed to the door. She leaned her ear to it gently, letting out the breath she had been holding when all she heard was the loud snores of two people drunk off their asses passed out after a raucous tumble in the sheets. She snatched up her bag swiftly, stuffing her sneakers in it. They would be on her feet after she hit the ground. Bella paused at the window, barely daring to breath. The snores still emanated from the room across the hall. On silent feet, she made her way to the window and gently eased it up. She was so very thankful for her foresight to grease the casing. Gently, she stepped onto the fire escape, pausing with every big move to make sure there was no changes in the snoring patterns inside the apartment. Nothing, thank God. Swiftly, Bella put her beat up sneakers on her feet and shut the window. She dropped the bag over the side of the rail and made her way down the stairs. Fortunately the sounds of the city and frequent sirens muffled any noise she made on the rickety steps. She cautiously jumped from the last set of stairs as the ladder to the ground didn’t work.

            Bella stood quickly, brushed off her knees, and grabbed her bag, taking off. The only thought going through her mind was “Police Station, police station, police station.” She rounded the corner a block away from the apartment building and kept running. It was another six blocks to the police station and she was not stopping until she was safe inside the building. Her lungs ached, she was sweating, and her feet were throbbing as they pounded the pavement in her relentless pursuit of freedom. She would not stop no matter what.

            She ran from everything and everyone she knew. No big loss for her really. Bella had no friends and was definitely no love lost for her mother. The only thing she could do was look forward and pray to anyone who would listen. She prayed that Charlie would still care, that he would accept her into his home. She dared not think about him saying no. There was no turning back now.

            Finally her destination was in sight. She burst through the front doors of the 5th Precinct of the Phoenix Police Department. The doors slamming against the wall made everyone look towards her. She knew she was a sight, but at this point she couldn’t really find it in her to care. It took her a moment to catch her breath but finally she got her words out, “My name is Bella Higginbotham. I was kidnapped 17 years ago. My father Charlie Swan is looking for me. Please help.” She swayed on her feet for a moment before the adrenaline of her escape finally left her body. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she collapsed to the ground.

 


	2. SAMCRO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Chibs and get a little background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This one is relatively short, just a quick intro into the world of SAMCRO and some feels from Chibs. Sorry I love that man :-) Typical disclaimers apply. Thanks for reading!

            In a club house in Charming, California, the phone behind the counter rang. A lanky, red haired young man grabbed it quickly. “SAMCRO.” His voice was slightly higher pitched than the others around him but he didn’t care. He was the bitch boy for now and until his time came in three months, he did his duty.

            “This is Detective Bradshaw of the Phoenix P.D. I’m looking for a Mr. Filip Telford. This is the only contact number we had for him.” The young man behind the bar froze for a moment before clearing his throat. “Um, hang on, let me see if he’s here.” He set the phone down on the counter gently before racing out the clubhouse. The bright summer sun nearly blinded him, but he was able to spot his target quickly. “Chibs!” he yelled.

            Filip “Chibs” Telford was sitting at the picnic table next to the boxing ring watching Jackson and Happy spar. He paid no mind to the others around him, especially the crow-eaters. Chibs had no need for them. He was focused on the boys in the ring. He loved egging them on and helping them hone their skills. Especially Jackson. That boy had not had the easiest life and any advantage Chibs could give him, he would. After losing J.T. so many years ago, Chibs had stepped in where Clay had failed the boy. He loves Jackie-Boy as his own and he wants to see him become the man Chibs knows he can be.

            He turned his head when he heard his name being called. Eyeing the young man rushing to him, he tensed. “What is it Sack?” Chibs’ Scottish brogue was thick with worry. He knew something was wrong, though he really had no clue what it could be. As far as he knew his estranged wife, Fiona, and his daughter, Kerrianne were safe in Belfast. Kip “Half-Sack” Epps stopped in front of Chibs, laying his hands on his knees before taking a deep breath. “There’s a man on the phone from the Phoenix P.D. for you. A Detective Bradshaw.”

            Chibs froze. Phoenix? His mind raced at all the possibilities of someone from the club needing help to some rival club claiming he did something before landing on the only one that made any real sense: they found her. Isabella. The daughter he had not known about until three months ago. He had a brief fling with a woman when he spent time in Tacoma almost 19 years ago, but had not known at the time it had produced a child. But three months ago he had received a package in the mail and a phone call from an attorney from a small town up north, Forks, Washington.

            He had been shocked when he learned the woman he had been with, Renee Higginbotham, turned out to be pregnant and had claimed the child to belong to one Charlie Swan. She had then taken off with the child when she was just one month old. There was no reason given, she just disappeared. Charlie had spent the last 17 years looking for Isabella only to come up short every time he got close. It was when they finally managed to get her DNA from a toothbrush left at an apartment that they learned the truth of Isabella’s parentage. They entered it in to the Missing Children’s Database along with Charlie’s to rule him out as a suspect. When they learned she was not in fact his daughter, the investigation stalled a bit, but Charlie was relentless. It did not matter to him that she was not biologically his. Charlie had spent 17 years of his life searching for the child he had only had one month to bond with. It took a while, but he finally managed to get information about an “affair with some Scottish asshole in Tacoma” from Renee’s mother.

            Finally having some kind of lead Charlie started his search in Tacoma. He came across some bikers and managed to make the right friends in the Sons of Anarchy, Tacoma chapter. Sometimes it helped to have a friend with a badge that could make things disappear. He learned of Chibs from them and was happy to know that he wasn’t that far from where he was. But fate had other plans and Charlie was never able to meet the man face to face. He had been leaving his attorney’s office after changing his will. He wanted to make sure if something happened to him and Bella was eventually located, she would at least know he never stopped looking for her and had even found her real father. He was on his way to call Chibs and explain what had happened in hopes that maybe Chibs’ not so legal connections could help find their daughter. But he never made it. On the wet highway, a drunk driver swayed across the line. Charlie swerved to prevent the collision, but lost control of his car and barreled into a tree, breaking his neck and dying instantly.

            And so Chibs had received the shock of his life when he was told all this on the phone. The package he had gotten contained all of Charlie’s research on Bella, known locations, aliases.  Chibs used all the resources he had available to him through the club to no avail. He could not locate either Renee or the girl. But now, maybe, just maybe he had a chance.

            Chibs rose from his seat and swiftly made his way into the darkened bar. Bobby and Clay looked up from their pool game curiously as Chibs stared at the phone for a moment before picking it up. “Aye, this is Filip.” Bobby and Clay exchanged glances before setting their pool cues down on the table and approaching the bar. They watched as Chibs listened to the detective, only giving one word answers. With a final “Aye, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hung up the phone and collapsed on the stool beside him.

            “Hey” Clay looked at the man who seemed to be falling apart before their eyes. “What is it? Fiona? Kerrianne?” Chibs just shook his head and said the one name that shocked both of his brothers into silence.

“Isabella”


	3. Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chibs arrives in Arizona, but he's not the only one visiting the police station.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is might bit longer than the previous two chapters. And it kinda ended in a different spot than I had originally planned, but I like this better lol.

            Detective Bradshaw watched the girl sleeping on the couch in his office. When he had seen her burst through the front doors of the precinct, his initial thought was _Oh great, another psycho, homeless girl looking for attention._ He couldn’t help himself though when he saw her fainting. Instinct kicked in and he caught her before her head could hit the ground. He had carried her to his office and laid her on the couch before deciding to just go ahead and see if this girl was being honest. For hours, he ran her name through various databases. Around eight in the morning, he finally found her. Isabella Higginbotham, kidnapped at one month old. She said her father was Charlie Swan, but there was no one listed by that name on the profile. In fact there was no father listed at all. He found this strange. How did the child get in the database then? Who was looking for her? The home town was listed, so since he had no further information, he contacted the local police department there hoping for some answers. That was how he learned of Charlie Swan and the unyielding drive to find the girl who he had assumed his daughter only to find out she wasn’t. The new chief had given Bradshaw Charlie’s attorney’s information.

            After a quick call to the attorney, he had the complete story and received faxed documents proving the statements. He was amazed at Charlie’s dedication to his daughter. He contacted the only phone number for the man listed as her biological father, Filip Telford. The man seemed quiet on the phone, one word, monotone answers until the end with a promise of being there quickly. Bradshaw's only hope was that the man who was currently on his way to Phoenix would have the same concern as Charlie Swan had for Isabella’s safety.

            Bella stirred from her slumber and smiled at the detective. “Thanks for catching me,” she said. He looked at her quizzically. “How’d you know I caught you?” She laughed. “Well, there’s no head pain or bump, so I didn’t hit the floor. I can only guess since you are the one sitting here watching me, you are the one that caught me.” Bradshaw smiled at her and nodded. “Well Isabella,” he stopped when he saw her flinch. “Just….just Bella please. Renee would only use my full name when I was in trouble. I don’t like hearing it.” Bradshaw nodded again, completely understanding. “All right then Bella. Can you tell me what's going on? I need some more details so I can make sure that justice is done. I will need to record the conversation as well so we have a good account." Bella bit her lip, hesitating a moment. It was not a comfortable story to tell, but one that she knew must be told in order for things to proceed. And so she told her story, everything she could remember from her lonely, abusive childhood to the present. She held nothing back, knowing that the detective needed as many details as she could give. Once she was finished, Detective Bradshaw stared at her for a moment in silence, taking it all in. He sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Thank you Bella. I may have more questions later, but for now, this will be enough." He glanced around the room before returning his eyes to her. His expression had turned from contemplative while listening to her story to almost sad. "Now it's my turn. It seems I have quite the story to relay to you. Unfortunately, not all of it is good.”

\-----00000-----

            Bella sat curled on the couch in Detective Bradshaw’s office. She was thankful he had more than just the hard back chairs the other offices had. She gazed around the small space, taking in the warm cream walls, dark wood desk and shelves, and Native American wall hangings and knick knacks. It was a comforting place and that is exactly what she needed right now. She was contemplating the news the detective had just given her. The man she had been longing to reunite with since she learned the definition of the word was gone; killed in an accident caused by a drunk driver. And not only that, he was not even her biological father. Charlie had just found out the truth of her parentage and been to change his will ensuring Bella’s safety in case of his death. He just met that death quicker than he really expected to.

            The man, Filip Telford A*K*A Chibs, was on his way from California to meet her and most likely take her home. Bella wasn’t really sure how to feel about that. While she had not known Charlie, she still had been able to find information about him and create an image of him. There had been some pictures in news articles about his search for her, so she knew he was handsome with dark hair, brown eyes, and a porn-stache to rival any 70’s star. Bella liked it though, it just looked right on him. In every picture of him she found, she could see the desperation in his eyes. He just wanted his daughter back. She had imagined him as a caring man, someone she could look up to and anticipated being cared for instead of having to care for herself.

            But now? That man was gone and she had this ghost in front of her. What was he like? Would he have been the same as Charlie if he had known about her? Would he have taken every measure possible to find her? And what about the future? She had no idea where he lived, what he did for a living, was he married, did he have other kids? Hell, what did he even look like? Did he look like her? Did he even want this burden heaped upon him through no fault of his own?  She did know one thing about him though. He was more than likely Scottish. She had faintly heard him through the phone when he called a little bit ago to give Detective Bradshaw his flight information. It was soft and lilting, reminding her of rolling hills and warm breezes. It was pleasant. So with that thought, Bella put her worries to bed. There wasn’t really anything she could do except see what happened when he arrived. She laid her head on the chenille pillow and pulled the handwoven blanket closer around her body. _Well,_ she thought. _He really can’t be any worse than Renee._

            Bella woke up some time later to the dulcet tones of her mother’s raised voice. “WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE THE HELL IS MY DAUGHTER?!?!” Bella glanced at the clock on the wall and snorted. _Only took you about 12 hours to realize your precious daughter was missing._ The voice grew louder as if Renee was approaching the office Bella was currently in. _Oh God,_ Bella thought. _She’s going to try and take me back there! Why the hell does she want me? There’s no way I’m going, not without the largest fight the Phoenix P.D. has ever seen!_ She cringed further into the couch, praying that Bradshaw would show up soon. There was no way she was going to give Michael the opportunity to finish what he started. She threw the blanket over her head to muffle the noise. Finally she could hear the voices retreating. She was about to pull the blanket off her head when she felt a hand on her shoulder, making her nearly jump out of skin. Detective Bradshaw chuckled. “It’s ok Bella. They’re taking her to a holding cell to sober up. We’ll make sure she’s in the very back cell and that she can’t see anything. We won’t move her until you are safely out of here, ok?” Bella nodded. “Thanks for that.”

            Detective Bradshaw handed her a cup of hot chocolate. Bella nodded her head again in thanks. He smiled at the girl before him. He couldn’t help but feel a large amount of admiration for her. It took guts to run the way she did. And now to be facing the fact the man she had believed to be her father was gone only to be replaced with man she had no clue about? She should be breaking down in tears, screaming at the injustice of it. Everything but sitting here, sipping her drink, seemingly calm as could be. Hell, he was anxious for her and he knew more about Mr. Telford than she did.

            Of course, Bradshaw had done his research the man. Filip “Chibs” Telford, a member of the motorcycle “club” (yeah he snorted at that) Sons of Anarchy, Redwood Original, formerly of the Belfast, Ireland Charter, and of the Real IRA. He had a few hits on his records, but more misses. Nothing really seem to stick to this guy. Bradshaw was leery, of sending Bella with Telford. He would just have to see how they interact together.

            A knock at his door brought him out of his thoughts. He patted Bella’s knee before stepping out the door. One of the uniformed officers greeted him with a nod. “We have the crazy lady in the back cell. She’s still ranting, but the girl is safe.” Bradshaw nodded at this. Another uniform approached them. “Detective, a Mr. Telford is here for you.” Bradshaw took a deep breath before nodding again. He glanced back at Bella and gave her a reassuring nod then followed the officer down the hall to the front of the station.

            His first visual impression of Filip was that this was a man not to mess around with. He was just over six feet tall, medium build, not physically intimidating, but there was a certain air about him. He didn’t have to be a huge man for other people to know he could tear you down in minutes. No, you didn’t go against Filip Telford, he would cut you as soon as look at you. The scars on his face made him that much scarier.

            “Mr. Telford?” Bradshaw asked. Chibs turned to him nodding. “Aye, I am. You Detective Bradshaw?” Bradshaw nodded and shook Chibs’ hand. “Before we go meet Bella, let’s have a little talk. I just want you to be aware of everything I know about what she has been through. I know what she has told me so far barely skims the surface of what she has experienced, but maybe after some time getting to know each other, she’ll open up more.” Chibs just nodded as he followed the detective into a side room.

            After inquiring about coffee, which Chibs politely declined, they sat in the metal chairs facing each other across a metal table in the middle of the bare room and Bradshaw began the tale of Bella’s life. He started from when she was born, how Renee took her, did the bare minimum to care for her, the frequent moves to keep her from Charlie. Then about the beatings, the sexual assault though thankfully no rape, and finally to her escape. They had no logical reason for Renee keeping Bella. They could only guess because the woman was far too strung out to give him any answers.

            During the conversation, it was all Chibs could do to keep from flipping the table or smashing his fist in the wall. His breaths were heavy with rage as he heard what his daughter had been through. No child should ever have to endure that kind of treatment, especially 17 years of it. He could not, however, hold back the growl when Bradshaw spoke of the attempted rape. He just said a prayer in thanks the asshole had not succeeded. What he really wanted to do was find the bitch and every single asshole that tortured his daughter and deliver the same punishment.

            Bradshaw hesitated for a moment before he delivered the last piece of information. He wanted justice for the girl and knew some of it would come in court. But he wanted more than just that. It went against everything he stood for as a police officer, but he could see in Chibs’ eyes that he would have no problem delivering his own form of justice. It was no more than the bitch deserved. Thankful that he was in an unmonitored room he cleared his throat. “There’s one more thing.” Chibs met the detective eyes, rage burning inside of him. “Renee is here. She came in earlier, high as a kite and raging about her daughter. We have her held in a cell in the very back of the station. There’s nothing back there except the cell. No guards, no other prisoners, no monitoring, _nothing_.” He emphasized the last word hoping to get his message across. “The officers will be taking a break soon, the camera’s leading back there may glitch, and there might be a key in the door in about five minutes. I don’t think anyone would be offended if anything happened to her. Just not too much, we still have to put her before a judge and don’t want to have to wait too long for her to heal.”

            With that Bradshaw shook Chibs' hand and stepped out of the room. It was a good thing he didn’t turn around and see Chibs’ face after he left. The smile on his face was enough to scare the devil himself. The fact that it was a woman had no bearing on his decision. Yes, he would deliver justice.

They don’t call them Men of Mayhem for nothing.


	4. Retribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chibs meets Renee face to face.

 

            Renee Higginbotham sat in a gray concrete cell, staring at the chipped off-white paint on the bars in front of her. She was fuming. How dare that little bitch run away from her! She had given that ungrateful brat everything: food, clothing, schooling. She knew she should have just left her in that God forsaken town. She would’ve been able to have even more fun. Now she was locked in a cell, coming down from her latest hit of meth and it was killing her. She was already sweating and trembling with the need for more. All she wanted was to get Bella home and teach her lesson. Maybe Michael would want to have some fun too.

            Suddenly there was a noise in the hallway outside the cell. A man walked down the hall towards her cell. She thought she recognized him. Yeah, he had been in the front of the precinct when she came in. The man smirked at her. “Well Miss Higginbotham, we will be keeping you here just a little longer. There are some things that need to be straightened out before we can make a decision about our next step.” Renee just glared at him. “I want my fucking daughter and I want to fucking go home.” The man chuckled. “Well that’s something that will not be happening. I’d say I’m sorry, but mama always told me lying was a sin.” He turned from the cell but paused after two steps and looked at the woman behind him. “I have one question for you though.” Renee just raised an eyebrow at him. “Why? Why did you take her? You could have left her with Charlie, let her live her life. You wouldn’t have had to put up with her all these years. Why take her and keep her away from a man that obviously cared for her?” Renee snorted. “You’re right I should have left the little bitch there. But then again, she did me a great service. Once she got old enough, I didn’t have to cook or clean, I got extra attention from guys, they got to play with her when I wasn’t in the mood. What does it matter? She was mine to do with what I wanted.” She could see the man was holding back his fury, but she just smirked. There wasn’t anything he could do anyways. She was in the damn cell, he was outside.

            For his part, Bradshaw just nodded at her and left the area. He passed Chibs in the hallway and nodded at him. Chibs had heard everything and Bradshaw had no problem letting him do what he felt was needed. Chibs had to stop himself from barreling in there, fists at the ready. He took several deep breaths before he turned the corner and approached the woman he hadn’t seen in almost 19 years. “Hello Renee.” He chuckled evilly internally at her jump. Renee gazed at the new man before her. “Good Lord, Chibs? Is that really you? What the fuck are you doing here?”

            He was kind of shocked that she remembered who he was. He had almost hoped that the years of drug and alcohol abuse had erased him from her memory. “Well, I guess I’m not that forgettable after all.” He chuckled. Renee let out a mirthless laugh. “No, that chaos was some of the most fun I’ve ever had. You stuck in here too? Wanna relive some memories?” She stood then, moving closer to him. She reached through the cell bars in an attempt to stroke his cheek. “We had some great times in Tacoma didn’t we?” Chibs smirked at her. “Aye, we did.” Just before her fingertips reached his face though, he grabbed her wrist. “But I’m definitely not here for that.” He held her hand tightly as he reached towards the lock and turned the key Bradshaw had left for him. Swinging the door open, he pushed Renee back to the bench against the wall. “We have some things to discuss.”

            Renee cringed at his tone. It had turned cold, deadly. She had heard that tone a few time before when she was hanging with Sons and it was not one she wanted to hear directed at her. “You see, Renee, you’ve kept something from someone that you should never hide things from. And I’m not just talking about Charlie Swan. What you did to that man? That was beyond hateful. Hell, you know the life I lead and even I would not take a child from their parent. But that’s not even what this is about. No, this is about what you kept from me.” He reveled in watching Renee’s eyes widen. They were so large he felt they would fall out of her head.

            “You kept my child from me. MY DAUGHTER!” His hands slapped on the wall on either side of Renee’s head with his words. Renee was stiff with fear. “You know I could almost forgive that, almost, if I didn’t know what she has been through over the past 17 years. You put that child through HELL for no other reason than your own pleasure! I should have KNOWN about her! I should have had her with me!” His face was close to hers, his voice low and growling. “You know we have a rule in SAMCRO. We don’t hurt women and children. But monsters? Oh we have free reign over them. So tell me Renee, are you a woman? Or a monster? See, me? I’m leaning more towards monster. You are supposed to respect life, especially when it is your own flesh and blood.”

            Chibs backed away from her for a moment before letting his hand fly. He had never struck a woman before, but he could not see this thing before him as a woman. The slap was loud and knocked her off the bench. It stung his hand slightly, but was worth it. There was so much more he wanted to do to this bitch, but he didn’t have much time and had to keep it simple. Renee curled on the floor, her hand reaching up to cover her cheek. She breathed heavy for a moment in disbelief. He struck her! He actually hit her across the face! Now she was angry. She started to raise from the floor, but Chibs grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the wall. He took a couple more shots to her midsection. Not his full strength, but satisfactory to him none the less. “You are damn lucky you’ve never had another kid over the years. I’d hate to see them have the same fate my daughter did. But no more. I’m taking her away from you. I’m taking her home to where she’ll be protected and cared for and will _NEVER_ have to deal with you again.” Renee snorted through the choke hold. “Yeah, like she’ll be safe around those fucking bikers. They’re just as bad if not worse than some of the people she’s already used to.” Chibs tightened his hold on her neck, fully cutting off her air. Renee grabbed at his wrists, scraping her nails into his skin, trying to get him to loosen his hold.

            “Listen here lass. There is nothing I would not do for that girl. There is nothing my _family_ will not do for that girl. And you best remember that. If I _ever_ see your face again, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head. No one will stop me either.” Chibs dropped her to the ground before spitting on her. She lay there choking as he calmly walked out of the cell. And for once she was smart enough not to say anything. Chibs locked the cell door and walked around the corner. It was time to meet his daughter.


	5. Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chibs and Bella meet for the first time.

            When Chibs walked around the corner, he nodded at Bradshaw and they made their way towards the detective’s office. “You ready?” Bradshaw asked when they reached the door. Chibs took a deep breath and jerked his head. “Aye, ready as I’ll ever be.” Bradshaw tapped on the door gently and opened it. Bella was sitting up on the couch with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her hands were folded in her lap and she leaned slightly forward. She seemed to be staring at the wall hanging directly behind his desk. Bradshaw called her name, breaking her from her trance. She turned slowly, almost hesitantly, and stared at the man that was her father. Taking in his appearance, she couldn’t help but find him handsome. Tall, lean, black hair with streaks of grey, he was an imposing figure for sure. He immediately gave her a sense of safety. She knew this man would protect her. She finally met his eyes. They were a shiny brown and seemed to shimmering with something. Happiness? Bella felt her hope rise in her chest. “Hi,” she whispered before blushing scarlet and looking down.

            For his part, Chibs was blown away by the simple beauty and innocence of his daughter. Her hair was dark brown and long, probably to her waist when she stood. Her face was slightly oval, with a button nose and firm lips that looked as though they could sing the softest of lullabies or give the harshest of lashings. The few moments she had met his eyes, he had seen how deep chocolate they were, with little bits of gold and green. She had all the makings of a strong woman. In all honesty, Bella reminded him of his mother. Siobhan had been a small but fierce woman. She had to be raising three boys who loved nothing more than getting into whatever trouble they could find. Siobhan and Bella shared builds, hair, and eyes. And if Bella’s escape was any indication, they shared the same spirit. He could see from her demeanor every bruise, scar, break, scolding and grope she had ever endured. It infuriated him. Chibs had known pain in his life. Hell, he had delivered it upon many occasions. But to have a child endure as much as Bella had was completely unacceptable to him.

            When she turned her face down after her whispered greeting, Chibs made his way over and sat on the coffee table in front of her. He put his finger on her chin, gently encouraging her to look up. “Aye, lass,” his voice was hoarse and low with emotion. “No need to hide from me. My name’s Filip Telford, but you can call me Chibs if you want. I suppose I’m your da.” He smirked as Bella giggled softly at his greeting. “Well _pops_ , I’m Isabella, but for the love of Pete, call me Bella. And I suppose I’m your daughter.” They smiled at each other before turning those smiles to Bradshaw as he laughed at the pair. “That you are lass. You look just like me ma. Uncanny really.” Bella blushed again and tried to look down, but Chibs caught her chin again. “None of that now. We’re family. There’s no need to be embarrassed.” She smiled at him again before raising from the couch and jumping into his arms.

Family. Safe. Love. Protection.

Peace.

            All those feelings swirled between the two as they held each other. The years of torture seemed to melt away within a few moments of embracing. Bella broke the silence with a sob. She just couldn’t comprehend how one person could make her feel so secure, especially a man she just met. “Hush now lass, I’ve got you.” Her sobs died to sniffles as she smiled into his neck as he ran his hand down her hair. Even Chibs, hard-ass biker extraordinaire, could not hold back the tears of joy. Sure he had Kerrianne, but she was thousands of miles away growing up with another man and wanted nothing to do with Chibs. Bella though was here, she needed him, and he swore in that moment he would protect her with his life.

            After they calmed down, they sat side by side on the couch. Chibs had his arm around Bella’s back, holding her close as she laid her head on his shoulder. Bradshaw came over and took Chibs spot on the coffee table. “Well,” he started. “There’s not really much left to do. Per Charlie’s will you, Mr. Telford, have full custody of Bella. There will be a few papers to sign in that regards. Bella, you know we recorded your statement earlier and took photos of your most recent bruises. We have enough to arrest Renee on child abuse charges and put her away for a while. I don’t believe you will have to testify, but I have Mr. Telford’s contact information in case something comes up.” Bella sighed in relief. If she never sees that woman again it would be too soon. “Is there anything you need to get from home?” Bella shakes her head vehemently. “No sir. Everything I wanted is in that bag.” She pointed at the small duffle bag at the end of the couch. Bradshaw nodded and slapped his knees before standing. “Ok then. I’ll go get the paperwork and we’ll get you guys out of here.” He smiled at them and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. He knew they need some quiet to maybe start on the road to becoming a new family.

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            For the first few moments alone together, all Chibs could do was stare at his daughter. He was just amazed he got a second chance to be an actual father. He knew his life was rough, hers had been as well. But they now had to the opportunity to work together to make a better life for each other. “So,” he said tentatively. “I suppose we’ll have to get you some new things. That little bag will most definitely not be enough.” Bella just chuckled. “Yeah, Renee was never the giving type. The bare minimum to keep the cops off us that was about it.”

            Chibs shook his head in dismay. He knew that, but the fact that Bella could just accept that and say it so nonchalantly was disturbing to him. Now came the hard part for him. “Bella, there are some things I need to tell you before I sign those papers.” Chibs turned to face her and ran his hand through his hair. Damn, he really needed a cigarette right now. “There are things about me, my lifestyle, that are not pretty. I do not have a normal Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 job. I’m a mechanic at a family owned shop, I love my motorcycle, and I love my club.” He paused, pointing at the flashes on the front of his kutte. “They have always been my family and that’s never going to change. I want to include you in that family. I want you to feel loved and protected by them the same way I do. There is nothing more important than family to me. You have to understand though: I’m not always nice. I’m an outlaw at heart, I do illegal things without remorse. There will be times where you will not approve of something that I have to do.” He signed heavily before continuing. “It is ultimately your choice. I will always be honest with you, full disclosure, if that is your desire. If you don’t feel like you could be comfortable with that, please let me know now. I can make other arrangements so you don’t have to go into the system until your birthday. But in all honesty, I want you with me. I want to know you, care for you, show what it should have been like for you growing up.” He couldn’t help but avoid her gaze, his hands wringing together in his lap. Yes, he desperately wanted his daughter in his life and would give anything for her to be there. But he refused to bring her into his world blind. She needed to be aware of what to expect. Everything he told her was true, he just hoped she accepted him.


	6. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chibs and Bella begin their journey back to Charming and spend some time bonding.

            Bella sat there shocked for a moment. Her father basically just admitted that he wasn’t a nice person, that he led a life on the edge, and he wanted her to be a part of it. Could she accept that? Could she enter his life and find her own place? There were so many more questions she wanted to ask him, but for now, she needed to give him an answer.

            Chibs was shocked when he felt Bella’s small hand rest on his. “OK.” Just the one word coming from her lips changed his entire world. “You sure lass? There’s really no turning back from this life. I just want you to keep that in mind.” He had to be absolutely sure. Bella chuckled and smiled at him. “I’ve been on the run most of my life for reasons beyond my control. I need something, someone I know I can trust to take care of me. I need this, Chibs. And in all honesty, I think you need this too.” Chibs stared at her a moment in shock before a grin spread across his face. “Aye then, let’s do this.” He grabbed her into his arms and just held her tight for a few moments before they both heard the door open. Bradshaw came in, smiling at the pair. He had a folder full of paperwork for Chibs to sign. Once he was done, he shook Bradshaw’s hand and turned to Bella.

            “I have to make a few calls before we head back. I already have our flight booked for tomorrow morning so we have plenty of time to rest before I feed you to the wolves,” he said with a laugh. Bella just beamed. She was positively thrilled to finally have a safe place. When Chibs stepped out of the office to make his calls, Bella turned to Bradshaw. “I can’t believe this is really happening!” He could tell the girl was thrilled, but he was still a little cautious. “I am happy for you Bella. You deserve this chance. I just want to make sure that you are doing what _you_ want to do. There’s absolutely no pressure for you to uproot and move to California with him.” Bella just smiled serenely. “Oh I know. He’s explained to me a bit about his life and given me the same option. But there’s something telling me I need to do this. We both need healing for things that were out of our hands. I know there’s something big he’s not telling me, but there’s lots about me he doesn’t know. I just hope that we can learn to trust each other with everything eventually.”

            The door opened just then and Chibs walked in. “I’ve got us a room near the airport so we can go whenever you like.” Bella nodded at him before turning back to the detective. “Thank you. Thank you so much for everything you have done to help us get to this point. I don’t know what would have happened if you had not been the one to catch me last night. I don’t even want to think about it.” He smiled at her and pulled her in for a hug. “You are most welcome Bella. I’m just glad it turned out the way it did. Be safe, you have my card. If you ever need anything, you or your father, just call. I’ll help any way I can.” Bradshaw released her and turned to Chibs. “Take care of this girl. She’s definitely something special.” They shared a smile as Chibs nodded his head. “Aye that she is.”

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            A couple hours later, Bella laid in one of the double beds in the hotel room. From the bed beside her, she could hear the gentle snores of her father. _So glad he doesn’t saw logs like Renee did_. She was exhausted, but couldn’t seem to get her brain to shut off. As her eyes darted around the darkened room, her mind kept rolling over the last 24 hours without pause. From her escape, to learning about Charlie and Chibs, meeting and agreeing to go home with a man she’d only known a few hours. Everything just ran in a loop. She was excited, cautious, terrified, and just a plain old jumble of nerves. But most of all, she was ready.

            After they had left the police station that night, they had stopped at a diner to eat. It was amazing to Bella because she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten something that did not come in a cereal or macaroni box. Over dinner of hamburgers and fries, Chibs explained a little more about Charming to her. It seemed like a nice town, maybe stuck a little in the 60’s, but that was ok. He spoke of his co-workers/club members Clay, Tig, Jax, Juice, Bobby, and Opie. He didn’t go into a lot of detail about them, wanting her to form her own opinions when she actually met and got to know them. But Bella could tell by the way he talked about them that he loved them greatly. It was comforting to know he was capable of that and it brought her even more hope that they would be OK or maybe even great. He told her that Gemma, Clay’s wife and Jax’s mother, would pick them up at the airport. He hadn’t left his bike there when he flew to Phoenix, not wanting to chance something happening to it. Bella had giggled at the way he talked about his bike. It was almost like it was his kid as much as she was.

            Bella was mulling over meeting the other guys. Some were a few years older than her, but that was ok. Maybe they would act like the big brothers she always wanted and protect her? She sure as hell hoped some. She was just glad she was only a month away from her birthday. They had talked about schooling and Bella honestly had no desire to go. She had never fit in at any of the schools she attended before and never made friends. There was no telling when Renee would get the bug up her ass and they would be taking off. Plus, the whole social order of high school was something she could not tolerate. Everything they worried about seemed completely petty to her. There were more important things in life than a pimple or a bad date. You know, things like eating, making sure the power stayed on. Silly things that parents were supposed to take care of while their children enjoy their lives. She wanted to get her GED at least and have something. She explained to Chibs that while she knew she was intelligent, she honestly hadn’t thought of life beyond Renee. It was what it was and she just never imagined that would change. So now she had to decide what she was going to do with her future. Just one more thing to worry about.

            Bella eventually fell asleep that night with images of motorcycles, car engine parts, and grease in her head.

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            Chibs was not a morning person. There was no getting around that. When Bella had woken to the alarm at 8:00 A.M., she had to cover her mouth to keep her laughter in from watching him attempt to stab the alarm clock. She was just glad he didn’t have his knife in his hand. It finally burst through though and Chibs was greeted with the most beautiful wakeup call: his daughter’s laughter. He grunted in protest after a moment and made to rise out of the bed. Bella let out a sharp EEK before racing to the bathroom. No way was he getting in there first! After a quick morning routine and shower, she walked out fully dressed. Chibs grumbled something about women taking too much damn time and being happy about a second bathroom when he passed her on the way in to the bathroom. He came out 20 minutes later, clean and dressed. “Well, I guess walking around the house naked is done with now,” he said with a smirk. Bella blanched and turned to him. “Uh…yeah…most definitely….” He laughed loudly at her reaction. “I’m fuckin’ with ya, Bella!” She heaved a great sigh of relief. She could only imagine the horrors of walking in on her father naked.

            Her father. She couldn’t help the smile that spread on her face. “What you cheesing about over there?” Chibs asked as he slid his kutte on. “Nothing, just happy.” Her eyes turned to look at the vest he was wearing. She knew he was in a club, but had no idea about what the patches he wore meant. He noted her curious gaze and smirked. He finished packing away his small bag and sat on the bed. Holding his hand out to her he said “Come ‘ere. I’ll tell you what these all mean.” Bella nodded before taking his hand and sitting beside him. “This is a kutte. Every member of our club has one and they are very special to us. We treat them with the same respect we treat our families with. On the back is the Reaper. He is the symbol of our club. The name of club is Sons of Anarchy, on the top. On the bottom is what charter you are in. In my case California. If there’s more than one charter in the state, they are identified on the front.” He turned to face her pointing at the patches on his left side. “I am Redwood, Original, meaning I am a part of the Redwood Charter and we are the founding charter of the club. The Sons patch on the front is just another identifier. There’s also a Charming, CA patch to show which town I am from. There are other patches that identify if you are an officer or not too, but I have no need for those at the moment.”

            Bella stared at each patch as Chibs described them. She gently ran her fingers over the ones on the front and smiled. “This is what you are huh? I think I can get used to it. It definitely looks good on you!” Chibs laughed at her reaction. He’s still in some disbelief that this girl was so accepting of him. He just hoped he and the club lived up to her expectations.

            The flight to California was, fortunately, quick. The only thing that sucked was they knew they had an hour ride home… With Gemma. Chibs had cringed at the thought. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Gemma, it was more that she was a mother hen and the club members were her chicks. She was overly cautious of new people coming around and he really didn’t want her giving Bella a hard time. Bella and Chibs walked out of the airport, both shading their eyes from the bright California sun. Bella took a deep breath and sighed. Freedom. Finally.

            “CHIBS!” He and Bella both turned to the voice that was calling to him. Bella took in the woman approaching at a fast pace. _How the hell is she not breaking her neck in those heels?!_ Bella thought. The woman was tall, even without the heels. She had a nice body and quite an impressive rack, especially for an older woman. Her dark hair was streaked with blond and she was impeccably dressed. Now this was a woman with style, one that Bella could really appreciate. Before they knew it, she was grabbing Chibs into a hug. “Glad you’re home. The boys missed you.” Chibs could only chuckle. “I was gone a day, Gem. That’s not long enough to miss anyone.” Gemma rolled her eyes at him before turning to take in Bella. “That’s bullshit and you know it. Clay and Jax both depend on your opinion more than the others. So, this must be the mystery daughter.”

          Bella stiffened for a moment before raising her chin high. No more cowardly lion. This kitten has claws and she’s not gonna take shit from anyone. “Bella Higginbotham, though I’m seriously considering a change in last name.” She stuck her hand out and Gemma shook it. _Damn, girl’s got a grip. And some balls._ She thought. “Well, I wouldn’t blame ya. That’s a mouthful. Y’all ready?” They nodded and made their way over the SUV. “Hope you’re ready for this sweetheart.” Gemma said as they buckled in. “It’s gonna be a wild ride from here on out!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: I really did try to get her to Charming, I swear! But they decided they needed a little more bonding time. I thought him explaining that patches to her was important as he is showing her that he wants her to understand his life and the ins and outs. At least we’ve met Gemma! Also, I may have taken a few liberties with the patches, but I think I got them mostly accurate.


	7. Charming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella finally meets the Sons! Are first impressions always correct?

            Bella’s first impression of the Teller-Morrow/Sons of Anarchy compound was that it was neat. Surprisingly neat. She didn’t think she was expecting a complete mess, just maybe more car parts lying around, a mess from the last party they held, something like that. When they opened the gate to allow Gemma’s SUV entrance, Bella found herself immediately liking the place. To the left, there was a line of bikes parked by a railing close to the clubhouse and several vehicles parked to the right in front of a fence marked with the reaper, either waiting for service or ready for pick up. Straight ahead was the garage itself. The bay doors were open and Bella watched in interest as several men worked under hoods or car bodies. She had to smile at how seamlessly they worked together, calling out when they needed a tool or cursing at a stubborn part.

            The drive to Charming had been less than eventful. Gemma had kept a steady conversation with Chibs about various things, including her son Jax. She had bitched about someone named Wendy and how she felt she was “using” again. Bella knew that meant she was on some form of drugs, but she wasn’t sure what kind or why it was frustrating Gemma as much as it was. Gemma did ask a few questions of Bella, mundane stuff really like where she was from, what happened with her mother, was she ready for the big change of living with Chibs. Bella answered with as short as answers as she could, not really in the mood to give out her life story to this woman.

            After they parked, the three passengers exited the vehicle, stretching their limbs from their long drive. Chibs immediately wrapped his arm around Bella’s shoulder, hugging her to him tightly. “You ready lass?” Bella looked up into his eyes and smiled. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let the party begin!” Chibs threw his head back and laughed loudly, drawing the attention of the men in the garage as he and Bella walked towards it. As one, it seemed, the men in the garage each grabbed a rag and began wiping their hands and walking out to greet their brother.

            They were shocked to see Chibs so chipper. It’s not that the man was always a “downer” but he was not normally so easy with his physical emotions. This girl must have done something incredible to Chibs for him to have his arm wrapped around her. His laugh had caught them off guard as well. Clay looked to his boys and noticed the leers of Tig and Bobby. He honestly should have expected it from the pervs, but he had hoped they had enough sense not to do that to Chibs daughter. “Now remember boys,” he said. “That there is jailbait for at least another month as far as I know. And I have no problem with letting Chibs whoop your ass if you so much as look at her crossways.” He smirked as Bobby turned his eyes away, but Tig kept looking. “Might be worth it.” Tig muttered before they stepped out of the garage.

            “Welcome home brother!” Clay greeted Chibs before wrapping him in a one armed man-hug, pounding the breath out of his back. Chibs laughed. “Aye, thanks for that. Come here fellas, I want you to meet someone.” The guys walked closer to him and Bella. “This here is my daughter, Bella Higganbotham,” Bella cleared her throat at that. Chibs chuckled, “Excuse me, soon to be Bella Telford.” She beamed up at him, excited at the prospect of becoming his daughter not only by blood, but by name. It was something tangible she could hold on to.

            “Bella, this is my family.” He pointed at a tall, older man with silver hair. “That’s Clay Morrow, the president of the Sons. Next to him is Juice, local tech geek and all around retard.” The men laughed as Juice blushed a little. He was nice looking with tan skin, a short Mohawk, and tattoos on either side of his head. “That’s our Sargent at Arms, Tig, don’t let him anywhere near you,” he pointed at the man next to Juice. He was tall with dark curly hair and bright blue eyes. There was something about the man. He seemed at first sight intimidating, but his eyes showed a vulnerability that went beyond his tough exterior. “That’s Bobby-Elvis, our Secretary,” he pointed at a stout man with longer grey hair and beer belly to rival a woman who was nine months pregnant.

            Bella smiled and waved at the group of men. “Hi guys. Thanks for letting Chibs come get me. I don’t want to even think about what would have happened if they had put me in the system.” She shuddered at the mere idea of it. The men chuckled. Bella turned to Gemma. “Thank you also for coming to pick us up Gemma.” Gemma just smirked at the young lady. “Of course darlin’. I’ll be in the office over there if you need anything.” She waved at the group before walking off.

            Chibs turned to Clay. “Where’s Jax then?” Clay’s expression turned dark. “Wendy,” was all he said before turning back to Bella. “It was nice to meet you, Bella. We’ll have a family dinner tonight to welcome you to town. If you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re family now, never forget that.” He smiled at her before waving at the boys and walking back to the garage. The rest of the guys gave various forms of goodbyes before joining their boss and getting back to work. Bella smiled up at Chibs. “They don’t seem too bad.” Chibs just snorted. “Aye, lass, they have their moments. Don’t let the innocence of their looks right now fool you though. They are as tough as they come. Come on, let’s get in the club house, it’s hot as hell out here.”

            As they reached the shade in front of the clubhouse door, there was the roar of a motorcycle entering the parking lot. They pulled up to the line of bikes, backing carefully into his spot. Bella felt her breath catch as he pulled off his helmet and sun glasses. He pulled himself from the bike and hung his helmet from the handlebar. He looked to be in his late 20’s, tall, blond, and even from afar, she could see his bright blue eyes shining in the sun. He seemed relaxed, but there was a tenseness about him. There were stress wrinkles around his eyes as if he was holding the weight of the world on his shoulders and it wasn’t what he wanted. “Jackie-boy!” Chibs yelled at the man. He turned and smiled at them and made his way over. “Hey old man, how’s it hanging?” he returned. Chuckling, Chibs responded “Short shriveled and always to the left.” He grabbed the younger man in a tight embrace. Bella couldn’t help but smile at the men. She could see the obvious love between the two.

            “What we got here then?” the blond man turned to Bella with a smirk on his face. _Lord but that smirk should be illegal._ She couldn’t help the thought pass through her head. “Ah, this here is me daughter, Bella Hig…..Telford.” She giggled at his hesitation in her last night. “Bells, this is Jackson Teller, or Jax.” Bella held her hand towards him. He gently grasped it before giving it a light kiss. “Pleasure to meet you darlin’.” He said, gazing up at her. His eyes were still sparkling, but there seemed to be something else in there. Mischief maybe? And danger. Oh yeah he was dangerous alright. “How’s Wendy?” Chibs asked, breaking their little moment.

            Jax just snorted. “Same ol’ shit. She swears she’s not using, but I have a feeling and it ain’t good. Something’s going to happen and soon. I just hope that for once she ain’t lyin’ and she’s keeping herself clean, for my son’s sake.” Bella took in a sharp breath at that. This Wendy was pregnant and using?! Of all the selfish, low down dirty shit someone could do. She gave Jax a sympathetic smile as Chibs just nodded. “Aye, that babe will be better off once he’s out here where you can take care of him.” Jax nodded before turning. “Gotta go update ma. Clay mentioned something about a dinner tonight?” Chibs nodded. “Yeah, gotta get Bells used to this bunch somehow!” Jax smiled at them over his shoulder. “See ya later then!” he called and jogged to the garage office.

            Chibs turned Bella to the clubhouse and opened the door for her. She gladly welcomed herself into the cool air of the dark clubhouse. She was once again surprised by the neatness of the place. To her left was a half wall. Beyond that were several pool tables, bar stools with tall tables and a couple of booths. To the right was a bar with shelves behind it lined with liquor. She could see a small kitchen by the bar as well. But what caught her attention was the Wall of Fame. It was a solid wall of mug shots next to a set of doors leading into what looked like a meeting room. She looked over them finally coming to the one she was looking for. Bella couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her mouth as she took in Chibs’ expression. He looked to be in the middle of a sentence when the picture was taken, which wouldn’t surprise her for some reason. “Aye, now that was a night.” Bella looked up at her father, mirth in both of their eyes. “What were you saying?” she asked. “Well, ya see the man who took me down got kind of….touchy shall we say?” Bella burst into hysterical laughter at that. “So I was telling him the next time he wanted to cop a feel, maybe he should just ask the next tosser they brought in. He certainly didn’t appreciate that.” Bella’s laughter continued even as she heard the door to the clubhouse open.

            She looked up, wiping tears from her eyes as the other members of the club walked in. They all smiled at the duo before Clay asked, “What he finally admit the size of his pecker?” Bella stopped laughing for a moment before doubling over again, laughing harder than ever. Chibs shot his president a playful glare. “That’ll be enough of that now.” The rest of the club just laughed before making their way into the meeting room. Bella noticed a young man following behind them. He didn’t have anything on the front of his kutte, but she noticed as he turned into the bar area the back said “Prospect”. “Church now Chibs,” Clay said, smirk still firmly planted on his face. Chibs nodded and turned to Bella. “You can stay out here. Play some pool, have a seat, whatever. We’ll head to my place as soon we’re done so we can unload and get you settled before dinner.” Bella nodded and kissed the man on the cheek. “No worries, I’ll be good.” He smiled at his daughter with ease before turning to go into church.

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            Inside church, the men took their places around the large redwood table. There was a large reaper carved out of the middle of the table with Sons of Anarchy at the top and California at the bottom. Clay sat at the head with Tig on his right and Jax on his left. Bobby was next to Jax, then Juice. Chibs sat next to Tig and Piney sat at the other end of the table. “I’ve heard some things.” Clay started. “Mayans,” he sighed. “There’s still some tension there. I have feeling there’s something that’s going to go down.” The table nodded. “What you want to do boss?” Tig asked. Clay glanced at Jax to see if he had any ideas. “Shit,” Jax said lighting a cigarette. “If we go to them with no proof of anything, we’ll get our asses handed to us.” He glanced around the table, getting nods of agreement from Chibs and Piney. “So we wait?” Juice asked. Clay thought for a moment. “Yeah, I guess that’s all we can do. So Chibs, what’s up with the kid? How’s she playing into your world now?”

            Chibs sighed. He didn’t want to tell them her whole story, but he knew they needed to know so they were aware of everything in case something happened. “Well, she is in fact my daughter.” And so he began the tale of Bella’s mistreatment at the hands of Renee. He felt bad about revealing so much to these people she didn’t know. When he came towards the end of his story, he fought to keep his temper in check as he spoke of the attempted rape and the lack of remorse Renee had for it. He finally lifted his eyes from the table where he had kept the entire time and took in his brother’s expression. There was sympathy, indignation, but most of all there was rage. “So what are we doing about this bastard?” Tig said with something that sounded like glee in his voice. Chibs grunted “Nothing.” The rest of the club looked at him in shock and Chibs sighed. “I looked for the bastard first thing when I got to Phoenix. He was long gone and all they got out of both Bella and Renee was his name was Michael. Renee wouldn’t give a description and I couldn’t ask that of Bella right now.” They nodded in understanding. “As it is Renee is locked up and hopefully Bella will not have to go back to testify. If I get any more information on the son of a bitch, we’ll deal with it then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I totally quoted Liar, Liar there. That has been one of my favorite random movie quotes and I just had to use it lol.


	8. Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to Chibs' house and dinner with the fam, including a member that Bella hasn't met yet ;-)

                Chibs place was… Well it was a man’s place. _At least there were two bedrooms and two bathrooms._  Bella thought. She wouldn’t have to share anything. Chibs had admitted he didn’t spend a lot of time there, so he didn’t have much. He told her if there was anything she wanted to add, she was more than welcome to. There was a slightly worn sofa in front a wooden coffee table and decent sized TV on a stand in the living room, a small dining table with four chairs and good looking appliances in the kitchen area. She didn’t see his bedroom, but was surprised when she walked into hers.

                “I asked Gemma if she could get some things out of storage for ya. Couldn’t have ya sleepin’ on the floor” Chibs chuckled. Bella smirked and nodded. The walls and ceiling were a plain white and white lace curtains and blinds on the window across from the door. On the wall to the left of the window was a door that she assumed led to the closet. There was a double bed with a bookshelf head board on the wall next to window, a short dresser, and a night stand all in the same cherry color wood. A light blue comforter covered the bed and a pretty blue vase with wildflowers was on the night stand. Bella turned and smiled widely at Chibs. “Thanks, you have no idea what this means to me.” She had never had a real bed, a real dresser. It had always been a mattress on the floor and piles of clothes. Bella felt the tears coming quickly to her eyes. She closed them and moments later felt Chibs arms wrap around her. “Aye lass none of that now. You’ll not have to worry about a thing ever, I swear.” Bella nodded into his chest before pulling back and looking up at him. “Thanks… Dad.”

                Chibs breath caught in his throat. Dad. He had heard it from Kerrianne, but it had always been grudgingly and never when that asshole Jimmy O’Phelan was around. Now he had this girl here, needing him like Kerrianne never had and he reaffirmed his commitment to her safety and well-being.  “Aye, anything for you love.” Bella could hear the tears in voice and smiled, pulling him tighter to her. Yeah, they could do this.

                Bella sat on her springy bed, looking around her bedroom. She had put her meager belongings in the dresser and closet while Chibs had went out to make some phone calls. The smile she had earlier was still plastered on her face. She was just so damn happy. She had a home, a father, and security. Yeah, there were going to be tough times, it came with the biker territory. But Bella knew in her heart that her Dad would do anything to protect her. Bella turned to the door when she heard Chibs coming down the hall. “Ok, we need to head over to Gemma and Clay’s. Clay wants to discuss somethings before dinner and Gemma wouldn’t mind an extra hand if you want.” Bella nodded at him, “Yeah I know how to cook some, so I can handle that.” He smiled at her “Ok then. We’ll have to take the bike though.” Bella’s smile grew even wider if possible. She had never been on a bike before and while it made her nervous, she couldn’t help the thrill than ran through her. Her nod this time was so enthusiastic that Chibs let out a huge laugh. “Alright then lass, let’s go!”

                Chibs bike was beautiful. The Harley Dyna Street Bob was sleek with shiny chrome and black leather seats. There was an anarchy symbol in blue on one side of the matte black tank and a matching “S.O.A.” on the other side. She was glad to see there was a little seat behind the main seat. There was another, larger bike beside the one they were taking. Bella looked at him with question in her eyes. “That’s for the long rides. Just more comfortable. I much prefer Sheila when I'm goin' around town.” Bella couldn’t help it, she burst into laughter. “Sheila?! Really?!” He chuckled with her. “Aye, every bike has to have a name.” When her laughter died, Chibs handed her a helmet and helped her strap it on. “Ok, few simple rules. Hold on tight, lean when I do, don’t let go.” Bella nodded as he handed her a pair of shades. “Alright, let’s do this.”

                Chibs sat on the bike and cranked it up. He held his hand out to Bella and helped her on the back. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and laid her head on his back. “Good lass?” She nodded against him. “Alright, let’s ride!” He exclaimed. Chibs revved the bike and they took off. The initial pull of the bike worried Bella’s stomach, but once they were really moving, she was exhilarated! The wind whipped around her hair and clothes, dancing across her skin. It was absolutely amazing and freeing! She kept her eyes open wanting to take in everything she could about her new home. The streets were quiet, few people moving around as they made their wait to the Morrow house. She could see people turning their heads as they passed but couldn’t make out expressions.

                The trip was relatively quick and after parking his bike in front of the large Morrow home, Chibs handed Bella off the bike. The smile on her face hadn’t dimmed one iota and that made her father happy beyond belief. _At least I don’t have to worry about her wanting to ride when needed._ They walked to the front door where Chibs opened it without knocking. Bella looked at him oddly for a moment. “Hey, like I said, we’re all family. And we were expected.” Chibs answered her look. Bella nodded and followed him through the foyer into a nicely decorated home. The walls were a warm sand color that reminded her of the Arizona desert and tastefully lined with various photos and decorations. There was a dining room immediately to her right that held a table long enough to fit the entire club and then some. It led to a living area with two large sofas, a comfortable looking recliner and a dark brown coffee table centered in front a huge flat screen. The French doors behind one of the sofas were opened to the massive backyard. She could see several men she recognized from the clubhouse standing around with beers in their hands talking and laughing.

                “Bella! Thank goodness you’re here!” Bella turned towards the archway that led to the kitchen. Gemma stood there, a spoon in one hand the other on her hip. She knew the Queen of Charming was a tough bitch, so it was amusing to see her in such a domesticated stance. “Come help me. These men are useless in the kitchen. Hopefully you can do some of the basic stuff at least.” Gemma turned back into the kitchen and Bella raised her wide eyes to Chibs. He chuckled at her, “Yeah, I know, she’s a bit much. Don’t take no shite from her lass. Do what you can and don’t be afraid if there’s something you can’t do.” Bella straightened her spine and nodded at her father before turning sharply and making her way to the kitchen. Chibs shook his head, smiling in thought. _I don’t think Gemma is fully aware of what she’s getting into with her!_ He turned to patio and joined the men to discuss business.

                Bella entered the kitchen expecting a mess. She was pleasantly surprised at the state of the kitchen. She was used to dilapidated appliances, bare cupboards, and chipped Formica counter tops. Honestly, Bella should have expected more than that from Gemma Morrow, especially considering the state of the clubhouse. The walnut colored cupboards were clean and shiny, the black marble counter tops glistened in cleanliness. Spread across the counter were various ingredients for a spaghetti dinner. “Be a doll and start on that salad,” Gemma ordered. Bella made her way over to the counter and saw the simple lettuce, tomato, and carrots on the counter. Thinking for a moment, she turned towards the fridge and opened the double stainless steel doors. Checking the vegetable drawer, she pulled out a cucumber, some celery, and an avocado. Gemma was watching the young woman out of the corner of her eye. She had been impressed when the young woman had stood up for herself at the airport and pleased to see her making herself comfortable.

                Bella returned to the counter and began her chopping, being extra careful with the knife in her hand. It would not do for her clumsiness to make itself known and for her to wind up in the ER her first night in her new home. Once the lettuce was done, she diced the tomato, avocado, sliced up the celery and cucumber, and shaved the carrot into the large bowl. Before she mixed it, she began looking around the kitchen for dressing ingredients. Spotting the bottle of apple cider vinegar, she got an idea. “Do you have some honey, olive oil, basil, and garlic?” She asked the older woman. Gemma turned from the stove top, leaving the sauce to simmer for a bit and raised an eyebrow at the woman. Bella blushed a little before she said “We once lived next door to an Italian lady. She loved making her own dressings and I helped her while my mother……” Bella paused and took a deep breath. No reason to beat around the bush anymore. She wasn’t going anywhere. “While my mother was off with whatever dick she playing with at the moment. I remember one of my favorite dressings and I think it would go nicely on the salad.” Gemma nodded, the look on her face unreadable, before gathering the requested items. Bella beamed at her before setting about mixing the ingredients and dumping the dressing on the salad. She tossed it carefully, making sure everything was properly coated before taking her utensils to the sink to rinse and put in the dishwasher.

                “What else can I do?” Bella asked. Gemma gave the sauce and noodles a stir before checking the bread in the oven. “Come grab this bread and slice it. There’s a basket over there,” she pointed towards the opposite counter. “Then call the boys to have someone set the table. This is just about ready.” Bella nodded and grabbed the oven mitts, pulling the bread out of the oven and setting it on the counter. She pulled the basket over to her and carefully sliced the bread and put the slices in the basket. Then she walked to the back patio doors and hesitated for a moment. While her first impression of the guys had been nice, they were still an intimidating bunch. _No, you are not pussing out. You can handle this. You’re just asking for someone to set the table on Gemma’s orders._ Bella nodded to herself and made her way towards Clay. The older man raised his eyes to her and quirked his mouth around the massive cigar that seemed to be surgically implanted on his lips. “Gemma said dinner’s almost ready. She needs someone to set the table.” Clay nodded and glanced around the men. They obviously were not volunteering, especially knowing how anal retentive when it came to place settings. “I got it.” Bell turned to the voice and stared straight into the deep brown eyes of a very, very tall man. He had long hair, a long beard, and she quickly noted several tattoos on his body. She also noted that he was the only one standing out there without a kutte on. While his height was intimidating, his eyes were kind and his demeanor soft. Bella smiled up at the man, “I don’t think we’ve met yet. I’m Bella, Chibs daughter.” The giant smiled, “Opie” and he turned heading into the house to get things together. Bella watched the man make his way into the kitchen, immediately intrigued by him.

                Bella was pulled from her thoughts by the laughter coming from the yard. There were two kids running around with bubble wands. The girl looked about 10 or 11, the boy looked about 6. “Ellie, no fair blowing bubbles in my face!” the boy hollered at his sister. “Well stop running into them, twerp!” She laughingly replied. There was a chorus of laughter from the men surrounding her. “That’s Ellie and Kenny, Opie’s kids. Good to see them laughing a bit more now.” Bella raised her eyebrow at Chibs and he answered her unasked question. “Their ma ran off a couple of months ago. No note, no nothin’. We got one call at the garage a week later saying she was fine, that she couldn’t handle the Life anymore. Said she didn’t want to be trapped by her kids and to not look for her.” Bella frowned in disbelief. What was it with the women around here mistreating their kids? First it was the suspicion of Wendy using drugs while pregnant, now Opie’s wife running off. “Ope managed to get a no contest divorce and custody so even if she changes her mind, there’s nothing she can do to get them back. He’s been rough these past couple months, that’s why we invited him to dinner. Get him out the damn house and back to living.” Bella nodded her head at her father and watched the kids a bit more before turning at Gemma’s yell of “Dinner’s ready!”

                Bella was hesitating at the table while the men sat down. She wound up in the chair with Chibs on her left and Opie on her right. Clay was at the head of the table with Gemma on his right, the chair on the left empty. Tig was next to Gemma followed by Bobby, Kenny, Ellie, and Piney sat on the end of the table. Juice was on Opie’s other side. She was just beginning to wonder about the extra seat when the question was answered by the slamming of the front door. “Jackson Nathaniel Teller, how many times do I have to tell you not to slam the damn door?!” The man in question came around the corner, smirk firmly planted on his lips. “Sorry ma. Had to finish that damn Prius. Want it off the lot as soon as fu….freaking possible.” Bella had to hold in the giggle as she realized he caught himself after seeing the kids there. He went to the kitchen to wash his hands and returned to the table. Once seated, the serving and talking began.

                When Bella’s took her first bite of spaghetti, she couldn’t help closing her eyes or the small moan that escaped her mouth. _Good Lord, this is an orgasm of the mouth!_ She opened her eyes, cheeks immediately flushing red. Several pairs of eyes, including Jax and Opie had turned to her. “Glad you approve sweetheart, but try to keep the moans to the bedroom.” Gemma said, smirking at the young lady. Bella dropped her head a bit before looking back up and returning the smirk. “You’ll have to forgive me, I don’t think I’ve ever had something so delicious in my life. The staple in our living quarters were pop-tarts, cereal, and macaroni and cheese.” Eyes widened around the table. “Well, we’ll have to fix that!” Bobby said. “Everyone should know how to at least bake a muffin.” Bella laughed and nodded. “I definitely don’t mind lessons. Besides, isn’t the way to man’s heart is through his stomach?” The table burst into laughter, minus Chibs who just raised an eyebrow muttering something about “Don’t even need to be thinking about gettin’ to no man’s heart anytime soon.” Bella smiled and continued eating.

                The conversation around the table picked up a bit and Bella soon lost herself in just listening. Jax was talking to Gemma about getting his house ready for the impending birth of his son. Clay was giving Tig a hard time about some Mexican women that worked at one the warehouses (though she had no idea what was stored there). Kenny was telling Piney (who had finally introduced himself when Kenny had tackled his grandpa) about their plans for the next few days. Opie and Juice were talking car parts. Bella noticed Ellie sitting quietly across from her, picking at her food. Bella smiled at the girl. “Are they always like this?” she asked the girl. Ellie raised her head, eyes wide at the fact that someone was talking to her. She nodded “Yeah pretty much. Kinda lonely being the only girl besides Gemma.” She lowered her head again. Bella kept the smile on her face. “Well, we’ll just have to remind them we’re here” she said before starting a conversation with the girl about her upcoming school year and how excited she was to finally be in the fifth grade and at the top of the school food chain.

                “Gemma, what the hell did you do to this salad?” Bella froze in the middle of her conversation at Clay’s gruff voice. _Oh shit, he doesn’t like it!_ Bella’s mind began to think of excuses and escape routes before Clay spoke again. “This is the best shi….salad I’ve had in a long time. And you know I don’t eat this rabbit food.” Bella breathed a huge sigh of relief. Gemma smiled at the young woman. “Well, you have Bella to thank for that. Apparently she had one good teacher and she added the extra stuff and made the dressing.” Everyone turned to Bella who ducked her head, blushing beet red. “No problem.” She mumbled. Conversation resumed and Bella picked up her fork to continue her meal when she felt a nudge on her right arm. “It really is good. Hell, Kenny’s eating it and I can never get him to eat vegetables.” The deep rumble of Opie’s quiet voice sent a shiver down Bella’s spine. She glanced at the boy sitting next to his sister and smiled. He had just put the last bite of salad in his mouth and was asking his grandpa if he could have some more. When she looked up at Opie her smile widened. He was looking at her a small half smile on his face. “Thank you, I’m glad everyone likes it. It really wasn’t much.” Opie nodded at her before turning back to Juice to finish their debate on which brand of carburetor was better.

                The night was drawing to a close as the adults sat around the living area drinking coffee or beer. Bella was sat between Chibs and Jax with her head leaning on her father’s shoulder. They were talking about things Jax and Opie got into as kids, bursting into laughter at the most embarrassing stories. Opie was on the floor finishing a game of Uno with his kids, laughing along with his brothers. It was the perfect evening in Bella’s eyes. Though she had just met these people, she felt more at home in the last few hours than in the past 18 years. She smiled up at her father, once again thankful for the chance at a new beginning.


	9. Explosion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An incident involving the club bring Bella in a little closer to the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the next one! I will be including bits from the series but am still unsure how much. I want to make it as true to series as possible, but things are definitely AU and will not necessarily be on timeline. Hopefully this works the way I want it to.

                The burning summer of August had melted quickly into the beginning of the cool fall of September as Bella adjusted to life in Charming. Every day was something different and new for her and her new family and she honestly loved being kept on her toes. Most nights found Bella and her father sitting on the couch after eating either watching T.V. or talking. He would tell her stories of Scotland and Ireland, his wife and daughter there and how he missed them, but feared he would never be able to see them again, much less salvage any relationship with them. He had remained true to his promise of full disclosure and had explained the nature of the MC’s business. While they did have profits from the garage supporting their club along with various fighting rings and protection runs, they had a deal with the IRA running guns. It was a tough pill to swallow at first. She didn’t want her father doing anything dangerous, but she remembered what he had said before she agreed to go home with him: _I’m not always nice. I’m an outlaw at heart, I do illegal things without remorse. There will be times where you will not approve of something that I have to do._ Now she understood it better and held no judgement of his life choices. It is what it is.

               Of course there were nights when her father knew he would not be home and she spent that time in the clubhouse with the prospect, Kip or Half-Sack as he was jokingly named. Bella made the mistake of asking one time how he got that name and was quickly informed of his loss of testicle in Afghanistan, complete with visual. Chibs had nearly beat the shit out of the prospect when he found out. Bella had just laughed at him and told him the name was quite appropriate. Those nights were tougher because she would worry constantly about her father. Most of her time was spent sitting at the bar nursing a Coke or laying in his bed praying for his safe return. Every morning he returned, she jumped in his arms, just happy to have another day with him.

                As planned, Bella took her G.E.D. at the end of August and, surprisingly to her but not to her new family, she had passed with flying colors. She still didn’t have a set plan for her future, but she wasn’t worried about it yet. Tomorrow was her birthday and while she hadn’t mentioned it to Chibs or anyone yet, she was excited and scared all at once. Bella hadn’t anticipated how much she would like this small California town and the people that had unconditionally taken her in. She was finally loved and she didn’t want to give that up for anything. Her hope was that Chibs wouldn’t get tired of her and kick her to the curb as soon as she was 18. So she spent most of her time now working around the clubhouse and with Gemma in the garage office. For the couple of weeks before school started, she had also helped Opie and his mother Mary out with the kids. They really were good kids, though Kenny was a bit shy at first. All it took was one really loud burp from Bella one day after lunch for his ice to break and she had a new little friend. Once school was back in session, they would come to the garage and Bella would help them with their homework. They had a great time together.

                Bella also grew closer to the club. Bobby had taught her the fine art of baking the perfect muffin and now there were daily chats about food and recipes. Tig tried to lay his charm on to no avail, but had taught her a few things around the garage. He was pleased to see Bella was not afraid to get her hands dirty. She could now change a tire, the oil, and a spark plug. Clay hung out during their lessons if he was not off on club business, pointing out little bits of information. He even gave her a couple of driving lessons after learning she had never had them. She was now the proud owner of a California driver’s license. Piney mainly kept to himself, either perched at the bar in the clubhouse with a bottle of Patron or taking off to the cabin the club had up in the woods. Juice was good for a laugh and loved showing off his computer hacking skills. Bella thought he was a tough nut to crack. He was silly, acted really dumb sometimes, and the guys ragged on him a lot as if he was still a prospect, but she knew he was extremely intelligent when he was focused. It was the getting him to sit and focus that was the problem.

                Chibs had taken to teaching his daughter basic fighting and self-defense. He didn’t want anything like what had happened at her mother’s to happen to her ever again. Bella needed to learn to protect herself and she became very good at it. Over the weeks of good food and training, Bella had finally filled out. She still wasn’t tall, standing only about 5’ 4”, but she had finally put on the weight she was in desperate need of. Her workouts with her father had given her muscle tone, the food provided by Bobby, Gemma, and occasionally herself or Chibs gave her energy. Her dark brown hair had grown a little, but it was more often than not in a ponytail. When it was down, it hit her waist and shone brightly, not lanky and dull like it was before. She had become a stunning young woman, which had worried Chibs at first. But she hadn’t really shown any inkling towards anyone in particular. Or maybe Chibs was just willfully blind.

                Jax had become less of a mystery to Bella. He mainly kept to himself, making frequent solo runs to Reno or where ever it was he was needed. He checked in frequently with Gemma or Clay, but had not been home a lot. Bella was not dumb or blind though. His reputation as a man whore preceded him and she had no issues with it. Jax was a grown man, allowed to make his own choices. And the women, crow-eaters or sweet-butts as they were called in the clubhouse, knew what the deal was: entertain and please the men of the club and leave the ones with old ladies alone. His lifestyle was something she was becoming accustomed to. Whether that was a good thing or not was still up for debate.  She also knew from their few conversations that he was anxious about Wendy. One night after a few drinks (and one highly potent joint), she had found him on the roof of the clubhouse and he told her his feelings about the impending birth of his son. While Jax was thrilled that he would be having a boy, he feared how he would honestly handle it. He hadn’t wanted children yet and had no idea how to take care of one. His biggest fear was that eventually Wendy would chose the drugs over him and that would leave him alone to raise his son. Bella had comforted him as best she could, reassuring him that he had a whole family here that would be by his side, helping out in whatever way they could. He wouldn’t be alone at all. Jax had hugged her tightly saying “Thank you” over and over. She knew he was overwhelmed and scared out of his mind and she vowed he would not have to do anything alone. From that night on, when Jax was having a bout of self-doubt, he would seek out Bella and they would wander off and just talk. She learned of the man behind the club mask and he learned more about the innocent girl that remained even through the tough times growing up.

                Opie had become a great companion as well. He spent many hours working at the mill initially but was finding it tough to be away from his club family. Bella learned that after spending five years in Chino, his relationship with the club had been tense. Donna had been completely against him having anything to do with them and he hoped to save his marriage, so he distanced himself. He was still Jax’s best friend and still a member, but had been inactive. Since Donna had left, he was finding it harder and harder to stay away. After Bella had been in Charming for three weeks, he finally quit the mill and went back to work a Teller-Morrow Garage. His pay was better, the hours were easier, and he had the opportunity to reclaim his spot within the club. Bella began to see him smile more, especially with his kids. Besides the club, they were his world and it was encouraging to see him spending time with them. She would often point them out to Jax as an example of how you can do both: be a Son and a father.

                Bella often found herself in conversation with Opie. He was easy to talk to, intelligent, and quite funny. She found herself opening up to him much the same she had to Jax, though at times their conversations seemed more intimate. Where conversations with Jax were had over the phone or walking around the lot, conversations with Opie were held in his home in the living room or even in his dorm room at the clubhouse. The gentle giant had a heart of gold, the same as his best friend. Anybody could see the bond they shared was past friends or club brothers. They were as close to brothers as could possibly be without the blood relationship. When Jax told her of the death of his little brother Tommy and the way Opie had been there then and when Jax’s father died, Bella had cried for them. Opie had been Jax’s one constant and she knew they would do anything for each other.

                So now she’s sitting in the clubhouse with Kenny and Ellie going over their last bit of homework. It had been pretty quiet which instead of comforting Chibs, it made him more anxious. He knew something was going to happen and he explained to Bella that she needed to keep an extra watchful eye around her. He didn’t want her to be used as leverage against them in some way. Bella had agreed with him and spent all her time at the clubhouse only going home when Chibs was in town and they stayed at their house. The roar of several motorcycles entering the lot pulled Bella and the kids’ heads from the work before them and towards the door. They all exchanged smiles and got up, making a mad dash for the door. Bella heard Piney’s chuckle from behind them, but ignored it. She needed to see her dad just as badly as the kids that beat her to the door did. Trying to focus through the darkening sky of early evening, Bella’s eyes scanned the line of bikes that were backing in to their spots. They had done a quick protection run for Unser Trucking, but it had been a big enough load that they took most of the club.

                Bella sighed in relief as she saw her father and Opie, but scrunched her nose at the lack of Jax. She was getting worried about his time spent away. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was avoiding Wendy and it wasn’t doing the junkie any good. Chibs approached her as Kenny and Ellie raced to their father’s arms. Bella couldn’t help but laugh at them as Opie grabbed them both up in a bear hug, kissing their cheeks repeatedly. Chibs wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his body. “Aye lass, all is well” he muttered into her hair. Bella just smiled and squeezed him tighter. She glanced over at Opie who gave her one of his rare but patented smiles.

                “Where’s Jax?” she asked. The men glanced at each other before bowing their heads slightly. “Reno” was all Clay said before waving his hand imperiously and walking to the clubhouse followed by his men. With one last squeeze Chibs released Bella and made his way inside. “Come on guys, let’s get your stuff cleaned up so you can be ready to go when they’re done” Bella said to Kenny and Ellie. They made their way back inside and quickly put their work away. They were taking their stuff out to the car laughing about plans for the current weekend when their conversation was interrupted by a loud boom. Assuming it was thunder, Bella turned her eyes to the sky but saw nothing but clear darkness and bright stars. The parking lot was soon filled with the bodies of the club members. On the horizon to the north, they could make out a bright orange ball. Exchanging quick glances and several utterances of “shit”, the men quickly ran to their bikes. Chibs and Opie paused in front of Bella and the kids. “Ya stay here, Sack will be here as well. Keep the kids with you.” Bella nodded and pecked his cheek before sending him off to his bike. Bella wrapped her arms around the kids’ shoulders as they waved good-bye to their father.

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                “Bella, the only thing you are going to accomplish with all that damn pacing is wearing a hole in the floor.” Bella glared balefully at Half-Sack. It was nearing dawn and Bella had not slept. She had fed and bathed Kenny and Ellie, giving them each a t-shirt from Opie’s stash in the clubhouse to sleep in. They were resting peacefully, but Bella’s mind was a whirl. She knew that blast meant something bad had happened. What was it though? She thought over the past few weeks to come up with any ideas. It finally struck her. A barely overheard conversation from several weeks ago at dinner at the Morrow household. Clay was ribbing Tig about some women at “warehouse”. Though she didn’t know at the time what the warehouse held, she now knew that it was the place they stored their guns. Bella’s stomach dropped to her knees which were suddenly shaky. She pulled the closest chair to her and quickly collapsed into it. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit, SHIT.” Her voice was low and raspy, but Sack heard her perfectly. “What? Bella, what is it?” She turned her head towards his voice. “The warehouse.” Sack’s eyes widened in realization. “Uh, what…how…what are you talking about?” She gave him a look that clearly said _Do you really think I’m that stupid?_

                Their conversation was interrupted by the door slamming open. Jax walked in, his face pale in the early morning light. He stalked straight to the bar, grabbing the whiskey from the back shelf. Skipping the glasses in front of him, he pulled the top and turned the bottle up quickly emptying half of it. Bella made to stand up but the door swung open again bringing the rest of the club in. Her eyes quickly scanned the men, looking for two in particular. She found them and raced to her father first. He wrapped his arms around her and gripped her tight. The previous 12 hours or so had been nerve wracking to the extreme for all of them. The Mayans hit them where it hurt the most: their pocketbooks. The One Niners had already paid for the shipment and were expecting delivery. Now they had to figure out how to get them weapons the Mayans stole back and to the Niners. It was going to take some time, time they didn’t have.

                Chibs looked down at his daughter. “Alright lass?” Bella nodded at him and sighed. “Just glad you’re all home.” He gave her a slight smile. “Table” came Clay’s voice from the bar. With one more squeeze, Chibs released her and went to Redwood table. Opie walked to her and gave her a slight smile. “Kids good?” Bella smiled up to him. “Yeah, still asleep.” He nodded and gave her a quick hug before following the other men into the chapel. She heaved a big sigh and went to the kitchen. This day would definitely call for some coffee.


	10. Abel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys plan on getting their guns back, Wendy does what Wendy does best, and we meet Tara.

                “We need our damn guns back.” Clay said sitting at the head of the table. There were nods from the men surrounding him. “Do we have any intel on them at all?” Juice looked up nervously before saying “I’ve got some addresses. I can find more info though, give me a couple of hours.” Clay nodded at him. Jax glanced around the table. “Chibs, you and I will go sit on the ones we do know about. If we don’t find them, as soon as we get the info, we’ll check the others.” Chibs nodded at him. “I’ll skip Tahoe tonight so I can blow their shit.” Bobby spoke up. Opie shook his head. “No man. You need legit money tonight. You do the gig, I got this.” Bobby and Clay exchanged glances before he nodded. “Alright. Don’t fuck this shit up.” Opie just nodded sternly. “No worries.”

                They broke away to do what needed to be done. When they entered the clubhouse, Chibs began searching for Bella. “Sack! Where’s Bells?” Half-Sack glanced up at him from the bar. “Gemma called. She asked if Bella could check on Wendy. Said something about her not sending Jax any doctor bills. I think she wanted Bella to go mama bear on her since apparently Wendy ain’t listenin’ to anyone.” Chibs cursed before he nodded. He hoped that his daughter wasn’t walking into something she couldn’t handle. Overhearing this, Jax breathed a small sigh of relief. It’s not that he didn’t want to deal with his ex-wife, he just knew he would say something stupid if he did and he didn’t want to take the chance of hurting his baby. He followed Chibs out the door and they began their search for the missing weapons.

                Opie made is way down the hall to the dorm rooms. He knew his kids were sleeping in his old room and he was anxious to lay eyes on them before this evening. He knew without Bella’s help, he wouldn’t have any kind of relationship with them after their mother left. For someone so young, she sure as shit was wise beyond her years. When he heard her story and about her lack of parentage growing up, he decided that it was imperative for him to be there for his children. Their mother may have been a deadbeat, but there was no way he was going down that path. He cracked the door open a bit and saw Kenny and Ellie curled on the bed. They seemed to be a far from each other as possible. He chuckled quietly at that. Even in sleep, they acted like brother and sister. Quietly, he snuck in to grab some spare clean clothes. He then shut the door and headed to the bathroom to shower and dress.

\-----00000-----

                Bella drove Gemma's car cautiously down the road as she followed the directions that Gemma had given her to the house that Jax owned. She had never been there since Jax was staying at the clubhouse while Wendy was at the house. There was an older Camaro parked on the side of the blue and white house. Apparently Wendy hadn’t been outside the house in a while (or just didn’t care) and the front steps were covered in still rolled up newspapers and trash. The lawn was unkempt and everything looked in general disrepair. Heaving a large sigh at the scene that was all too familiar to her, Bella knocked on the front door and started calling out for Wendy. When she received no answer, Bella tried the door knob before making her way around to the side of the house continuing to call out to Wendy. Reaching the side door, she peered through the window only to jerk back in surprise.

                Wendy was lying on the floor in a puddle of melted ice cream and vomit. That wasn’t the worst part of it though. There was also a puddle of blood, slightly congealed, on the floor that was coming from between her legs. “SHIT! WENDY!” Bella quickly retrieved the cell phone Chibs had given her soon after she arrived and dialed 911. Quickly explaining the situation, Bella used all her strength to knock the locked door open. Thank heavens for the training she received from her father and his friends. Once she got confirmation from the operator that an ambulance was on the way, Bella hung up only to dial her next target.

                Jax and Chibs were making their way back to the clubhouse after having no luck checking the known Mayan locations. They were sitting on the picnic table outside waiting for Juice to bring them more addresses. “So Jackie-boy, you think you’re ready for that kid?” Jax just smirked at his pseudo father. “Well I know I sure as hell wouldn’t be without Bella’s help.” Chibs raised an eyebrow at him. “Aye? That so?” Jax chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, we’ve spent a lot of time talking. It’s been nice to have someone kind of outside the Life to talk with. I’m helping her learn her way around us and she’s helping me settle into the idea that I’m going to have a little person completely dependent on me. She knows everything _not_ to do so that I don’t make the same damn mistakes her mother did.” Chibs laughed mirthlessly. “Yeah, she would know about that.”

                Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of Jax’s cell phone. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the I.D. “Hey Bells” was all he got out before Bella rushed into explanation. “At your house….Wendy on the floor….vomit….blood…baggies…Hairy Dog…ambulance here now…hospital.” Was all Jax got before the call disconnected. “FUCK!” he said, raising from the bench seat and storming to his bike. “JAX!” Chibs yelled to him. “Wendy’s heading to the hospital, something’s wrong!” Jax yelled back before cranking his bike to life. Cursing, Chibs hollered to the prospect where they were going and climbed on his bike hoping and praying that bitch didn’t just kill his friend’s son.

                Jax could not get to the hospital fast enough. He pushed his bike as fast as he could, every possible scenario running through his head. He made it to the emergency room in record time, parking quickly. His pace was swift as he ran inside and straight to the front desk. “Wendy Case,” he said, tension, anger, and anxiety evident in his voice. The nurse glanced at him and then checked the computer. “They just got her in. She’s being prepped for an emergency c-section.” The breath left his lungs in one big whoosh. “JAX!” He whipped around to the voice calling to him. “I’m so sorry, I did everything I could but I couldn’t help her. I’m sorry!” Bella sobbed at him. Jax grabbed her into a hug, noticing the red stain of Wendy’s blood on her hands. “What’s going on Bells? Talk to me.” Bella took a deep breath. “I went to check on her for your mom. She knew that Wendy wouldn’t answer for her and you had mentioned something about not getting any recent doctor bills. I knocked on the door, but there was no one there so I went around the side. I saw her lying on the floor…” Bella paused to take a shaky breath. “She was just lying there, she looked blue and she wasn’t moving. There was blood and vomit all over the place. I called 911 and then you. I managed to bust the door in but I knew it was going to be too late. I checked her pulse and it was so weak. There was so much blood…” Bella trailed off into another sob. “I tried, you have to believe me Jax I tried! There was a needle by her, some little bags and matches from the Hairy Dog. I knew…I just knew she shot up, OD’d and all I could think was you had lost your son and you didn’t deserve that.” Bella collapsed into his arms in tears, her sobs finally taking over her.

                Jax held her close fighting his own tears and anger. Fucking Wendy! Why the hell did he get involved in that mess to begin with? He knew better! Now his child’s life is hanging in the balance. His sobs finally escaped him. His son! He may not even have a chance. He had finally accepted that he was going to be a father and was anxious to teach him so much. How to change the oil in car, give his bike a tune up, how to throw a ball and talk to girls. He was so lost in his grief and anxiousness he didn’t hear the rest of the club arrive until Chibs hand landed on his and Bella’s shoulders. Bella turned from Jax to her father and he wrapped his arms around her and let her continue crying. Jax wiped his eyes and took a deep breath trying to control himself so he could give his mentor the answers he knew he needed.

                As he explained the situation, Chibs’ grip on Bella grew tighter. If it was one thing he never wanted for his child, it was to go through shit like this. He knew her early life had consisted of experiences like this, but he had hope they were over. Apparently not. He felt her take a deep breath and straighten up. She pulled away from him and looked up him. “Thanks. I’m better. Sorry….just needed to break for a moment. I’m good now. Promise.” He looked into her eyes, searching them. He found what he was looking for and nodded at her. The trio walked over to the waiting area to join the rest of the club to wait for the doctor. Opie pulled Jax into a hug holding him tightly. He then turned to Bella and hugged her as well. He held he by the shoulders at arm’s length. “You good?” He asked lowly. Bella nodded and gave the big man a small smile. “Yeah, just worried now.” Jax explained briefly to the club what was going on and they each took turns hugging both Jax and Bella. It was overwhelming for the girl who had not known affection most of her life to have the support of these men. But it felt so good.

                No sooner had they sat, a doctor walked out calling for the family of Wendy Case. Jax stood and grabbed Bella’s hand. She glanced up at him into his shining blue eyes. “Please?” he whispered to her. She just nodded and stood up, holding his arm close to her body and hoping she gave him some kind of strength. “Mr. Teller. I’m Dr. Franks. I performed the c-section on Wendy. I’m sorry but she didn’t make it. The drugs overwhelmed her too quickly. We were extremely lucky to get the baby out before she passed.” Jax tensed immediately. The possibility had been real in his mind, but to hear the truth from the doctor was almost overwhelming. All he could do was nod and prepare himself for the news on his son. “We were able to get the baby out. He is stable at the moment. I’ll let the pediatric surgeon explain everything to you. Just know that your son is very sick and we are doing our very best and everything that we can for him.” The doctor spoke softly and gave them a soft, sympathetic smile before turning away. All Jax could do was nod again as they watched a figure approach them.

                He didn’t think he could tense anymore. Though her head was down, he would know her anywhere. Even after 10 years, her figure haunted his dreams and waking hours. Not too tall, he remembered the way she had fit next to him, his chin resting on her soft brown hair, her curves molding to his hands and body. When she looked up, it was all he could do to maintain his focus. He didn’t know if he wanted to hug her or strangle her. She broke his heart so many years ago and he had finally, _finally_ gotten past the pain of her leaving, not understanding why he couldn’t leave. This was his home, his family, his _life_. And now he had to trust the woman who had betrayed him with his son. His anxiety level rose to unfathomable heights.

                “Tara.” That one name turned the heads of the entire club and brought Bella’s head from Jax’s shoulder quickly. So this is her. The woman Jax had confessed he still dreamed about, that he saw no matter how many women he buried himself in. That he had wanted to come back so much over the years. And that he had finally let go of. She recalled their last conversation a few days ago on the roof of the clubhouse.

_“I’m done Bella.” Jax said out of the blue. They had been sitting on the roof of the clubhouse just enjoying the cool air of the night, away from the stuffiness of the clubhouse party below. Bella raised her eyebrow at him in question. “I’m done wishing she would return. I’m done living in some kind of fantasy that she comes back and tells me how wrong she was and how much she missed me. I’ve wasted 10 years. 10 freaking years. My life has passed by in a blur of weed, alcohol, and pussy. And what do I have to show for it? A pregnant, junkie ex-wife who is more than likely still shooting up. I have to start living in the now and anticipating the future. I owe it to me and more importantly I owe it to my son. I don’t want him to come into this life with a father who can’t be strong enough to let go of something that’s never going to happen again. Enough is enough.” He hadn’t looked at her the entire time, just stared over the horizon. Bella reached her hand to his face and turned him towards her. “You are stronger than you think Jax. You have endured so much pain in your past not only in your family, but in this club. This is your life and you deserve the love of some one that will totally understand and be there for you, not try and pull you away. I’m proud of you Jax, for finally admitting it.” He smiled that patented smile at her and pulled her into a hug. They stayed on the roof that night, finally falling asleep as the sun began its rise over the horizon_

                Now Bella was nervous for her friend being confronted not only with his son’s fragile health, but a ghost from his past. She gripped his hand tighter and waited for the doctor to speak. “Jax.” She said. Her voice was soft, but spoke in unemotional monotone as she gave the diagnosis. “He’s 10 weeks premature, he has a congenital heart defect and a hole in abdomen. The prematurity and hole in his abdomen are from the crank. There were tracks all over Wendy’s feet and hands. The heart defect,” She was interrupted by Gemma who had made her way to Jax’s side to hear about her grandson. “The family flaw. Same thing that me and Thomas had.” Tara nodded at Gemma. “We are monitoring him tonight and want to fix his stomach in the morning. If all goes well, we will be able to do his heart surgery in a couple of days. Right now all we can do is watch him and hope his vitals improve.” Jax nodded, tears evident in his eyes. Bella looked up at him and seeing him struggle with his emotions she wrapped her arms around his waist giving him the support he desperately needed right now. She glanced up when she felt the heavy hand of Opie rest on her shoulder. She smiled slightly at him when she noticed his other hand on his best friend’s shoulder. He was showing his support in the best way he could.

                “You don’t have to do this Tara.” The woman shook her head. “I asked to assist. I want to help your son.” Jax gave a small smile. “Abel. His name is Abel.” Tara nodded, her face returning to its serious doctor mode. “He’s in the neonatal unit, you can go see him now.” Bella felt his hesitance and squeezed him a little tighter. He glanced down at her. “You need to do this Jax. The rest can wait.” She knew he was anxious to get revenge for the warehouse and now for the fact that apparently someone was selling crank in their town. But he needed to settle the worries for his son in his mind. “Just so you’re aware,” Tara interrupted their now silent conversation. They turned to the doctor and Bella couldn’t help but notice the hateful glare she was getting from the good doctor. She’d have to watch herself with this one. “Honestly, he has a 20% chance of living, and that’s Dr. Namid being extremely optimistic. There is so much than can go wrong in the next few days, I just want to be up front.” Opie’s hand on Bella’s shoulder tightened and Bella felt her oft repressed ire rise. “And you think that should stop him from seeing his son? From loving him? You may be pessimistic on his chances, but I am not. I have faith and hope that he will survive and be stronger than any of us could imagine. That boy has Teller blood, his name means breath. And he will breathe, for many years to come. So you can take your pessimism and negativity and shove it. If you can’t be hopeful for his recovery, maybe you should sit this surgery out.”

                Opie beamed down at the young woman before him. He had never liked Tara, knew she was trouble and had been proven right when she ripped his best friend’s heart to shreds 10 years ago. It was awful convenient that she arrived back in town when Jax had finally settled his heart on letting her go. Now standing before her, he hoped that Jax had the strength to stand his ground and keep his cool. He looked at Tara and frowned. _If looks could kill_ he thought. _Our Bells would be one dead girl._ Opie smirked though because it seemed as if Bella was giving as good as she got. She wasn’t going to let this doctor bitch bring Jax down.

                Tara turned her head from the little girl clinging to Jax. “I’m just giving the stats and a bit of realism. If you want to see him, you’re more than welcome to. The nurse will lead the way.” With that, Tara turned her back and flounced down the hall. A nurse was waiting a few steps away from them. “Let’s go Jax.” Gemma said. He pulled his eyes from studying Bella’s face and turned to his mother. Bella felt the hesitance again and squeezed his hand. “It’s ok to love him Jax. Remember that.” Jax took a big breath and nodded at them. “Come on Bella, let’s go meet my little man.” She beamed up at him and they took off down the hall to greet the boy who would share her birthday.

\-----00000-----

                The nurse led them down the corridor to the NICU. There were several rooms lining the sterile hallway. All of the windows had closed blinds on them except one and that was where for the first time Jackson Teller fell in real true love. Jax and Gemma walked into the room first, but Bella was hesitant to follow. This seemed like too private a moment. But Jax wasn’t having it. “You’ve made me realize what I need to do and where I need to be. I want you to meet my son.” Bella could only nod and follow them into the room. The dim lights gently reflected off the dark blue walls of the room giving it a peacefulness that encouraged rest and healing. Jax approached the incubator cautiously, afraid that one wrong move would bring an end to the already fragile life before him. There were tubes and wires all over and machine by the incubator beeping softly. Bella’s breath caught in her throat at the sight before her. Such a tiny person, struggling just to live. But she knew he was a fighter. He couldn’t be any other way.

                Bella placed her hand on the incubator and began to sing softly. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday sweet Abel. Happy birthday to you.” Gemma and Jax just smiled at her. They knew this girl was caring and were happy every time she showed it. Gemma glanced up at the sight of Clay outside the window. He waved her out and she quickly went to meet him. “He’s beautiful Jax. And don’t you worry, he’s gonna be absolutely fine. I wouldn’t have my twin any other way.” Jax looked at Bella in confusion. “Twin?” Bella nodded, still gazing at Abel. “Yeah, anyone who shares my birthday is a fighter. I fought my entire life and now I’ve won the jackpot. I have no doubts that Abel will be the same.” Jax’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s your birthday?!” Giggling, Bella looked up at him. “Yup! I’m officially an adult!” she said. “Why didn’t you tell anyone?! We would’ve done something for you!” She just shook her head. “No, there was no need really. And what could we have done anyways? I’m right where I want to be right now, with my family, supporting them while they need it. Isn’t that what’s most important?”

                Jax could only stare at the selfless girl in front of him. If he had known, they would have had a blow-out prepared at the clubhouse for her. Granted, everything would have gone to pot, especially after last night, but they could have rescheduled it. In fact, once this crap with the Mayans was settled, they would have a celebration for the girl that seemed to have wormed her way into the SAMCRO family in no time. He guara-damn-teed it.


	11. Growth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How does Twilight figure into all this? Let's find out! Also Bella gets closer to a certain member of SAMCRO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the completely uncreative name for the La Push MC. But I did feel it was appropriate. Also, there is no relation to any real life MC of the same name if they exist. It's purely coincidental!

                In a bar on a tiny Reservation in Washington, a meeting was being held. It was between the President of the Sons of Anarchy MC, Tacoma Chapter and the local MC, Wolf Warriors. The Warriors had not been around nearly as long as SoA, but were getting there. Times were hard though and any help was appreciated. Their brotherhood was tight, more so than a normal MC. It came with the territory of being an all Quileute club, exclusive to the tribe on the La Push Reservation.  

                It was with in their finances where they were struggling. They have a small garage that serviced the Reservation and the closest town of Forks, but that just about covered the bills. They took on odd jobs, handy man work, to get extra cash.

                It was frustrating of course. They only wanted what every man wanted: a better life for their families, their futures. So when they were approached by the SoA Tacoma Chapter with a proposition, a way to make more cash, there naturally intrigued. Lee Whitney happened upon the garage and the club when his bike broke down on a ride through Forks and had seen potential in the six burly Native American men. They were all intimidating yes, but they weren’t unapproachable. The Warriors were loyal to their family, tribe, and each other. Lee thought that they would make an excellent addition to the SoA family and a great help in their enterprises.

                So a meeting had been set so Lee could feel out the MC. He wanted to know their willingness to do something that may not be quite on the legal side. Lee was sitting in a booth in the back of the small bar ignoring the frequent glances from the few scantily clad women wandering around and got down to business.  “So, tell me what you have you have going on here.”

                Sam Uley shifted in his seat a little. He wasn’t intimidated by this man, but he was anxious about this meeting. He knew about the Sons of Anarchy. They were MC Royalty and to be personally approached by them was quite the honor.

                “Well, we’re just a group of guys, all related in some way. We run a garage, do handyman work, we have some small weed dealing around the Res, but we keep everything else out. We don’t want nor need that shit around here.” Lee nodded at the Warrior president. Dedication to family, brotherhood, and zero tolerance for drugs. Yeah, they had Sons potential. He glanced at his VP Donut and the Sons enforcer, Happy. They both gave the Pres small nods. “Well, here’s what we’re thinking.”

                Two hours later the members of the Wolf Warriors were gathered around the large table in Sam Uley’s home. Sam was at the head of the table, his Vice President Jared Cameron to his left, Sergeant at Arms Paul Lahote to his right. Jacob Black and Quil Ateara sat next to Jared and Embry Call was next to Paul. Sam rapped his knuckles on the table to call them to attention. “Ok, as y’all know, I had a meeting with the President of the Sons of Anarchy Tacoma chapter. They have proposed a patch over and want us to be a base to help with their operations. We would run shipments from Canada down to Oregon, maybe to California.” The guys glanced at each other. “So what would we be hauling?” Jacob asked. Sam took a deep breath, drumming his fingers on the oak table in front of him. In a low, rough voice, he gave a one word answer, “Guns”.

                Sam watched as his brothers’ eyes widened. He knew this would be a hard sell. The most illegal thing they had done was sell a bit of weed around the Res. He hadn’t been aware of the gun running side of the Sons, but had always agreed with the way they handled themselves. No hardcore drugs, every chapter had some kind of legit business, a tight brotherhood; everything his own MC stood for.

                “Guns? Seriously? That’s major shit Sam. This could blow up huge if one thing goes wrong” Embry said. Sam nodded at him. “Yes, which is why I brought it here. His plan is to slowly work us into it. Two or three of us making runs with them until we are comfortable. We would get 5% cut until we took over completely. Then we would get 15%. This is serious bank guys. We need this shit. Things have not been good around here, we barely cover expenses as it is, much less make a profit. And Tacoma has this shit down. They know who to talk to and where to go. But apparently there’s been some heat recently around their mother charter’s home base and they’re needing to bring stuff down from Canada more frequently. And that means they need extra bodies.”

                “What about our regular stuff? And would we _have_ to patch over?” Embry spoke up again. As secretary it was his job to look at the bottom line, always. “We would continue as normal. Lee will give us a schedule and we can work shop hours and such around it.” Embry nodded. “Well, yeah we could certainly use the extra cash, but I don’t know. The risks are huge. If something goes wrong, it’s 25 to life for us. ATF doesn’t fuck around.”

                Sam sighed. He knew this would be the biggest problem. “Yes, but along with this comes 29 charters and worldwide brotherhood. Extra protection when we need it. And I have a feeling we might need some assistance soon. It’s getting harder to keep the meth off the Res, especially since the Cullens moved here. Lord knows if Charlie was still around, there’s no way they’d still be here.” The men nodded again in agreement. Charlie Swan had been a great friend of the tribe and the previous members of the Warriors had frequently helped in the search for his long lost daughter.

                But with the sudden passing of the beloved police chief came a big disconnect between Forks and La Push. And when the Cullens’ came to town, it was difficult to get any kind of read on them. They were wealthy, fashionable, and beautiful. Almost inhumanly so. There were 7 of them: Carlisle and Esme, Rose and Emmett, Jasper and Alice, and the odd ball Edward. The only things they knew for sure was Rosalie and Jasper were twins, Edward was their brother, and they were Carlisle and Esme kids. Emmett and Alice were spouses. They flaunted their wealth around the middle class town with no shame. And the increase in meth activity around the area just _happened_ to coincide with the arrival of the family.

                The Wolf Warriors sat around the table for several hours discussing pros and cons. When their decision was made, they bid each other good night and retired to their homes. Emily, Sam’s Old Lady, entered the dining room from the back porch where she had been rocking during their meeting. “You hear it all?” Sam asked. Emily smirked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Well of course. You know me, I’m a nosey bitch.” Sam chuckled, patting her hands on his chest. “Is this the right decision?” Emily sighed and came around to sit on his lap. “Sam, I can’t tell you that. I support you either way. I know the dangers of what you would be getting into and while it scares me to death, I know you will be as safe as you can.” Sam gazed into Emily’s eyes, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “Always babe.”

\-----00000-----

                Clay hung up his prepaid, a little smile forming on his road hardened face. His heavy brow relaxed at the news he had just receive from his Tacoma chapter president. The little MC in Washington was going to join them. The Irish were nervous after the explosion at the warehouse and were desperate to move operations further north where there were less restrictions. Now with the Wolf Warriors on board, they would have the man power needed to make deliveries that much easier.

                Bella and Gemma came into the clubhouse looking for Jax and Chibs. They knew they had gone off to take care of the Nord problem, but that was hours ago. “I got ‘em!” Juice’s cry from his corner of technology startled the women. “Clay, the guns are in Lodi!” Gemma and Bella exchanged nervous glances before taking a seat at the bar. “Call the boys in,” Clay said. “Time to retrieve our wares!”

                It took no time for the men to gather at the clubhouse. Chibs, Jax, and Opie walked in together. Jax was sweaty and flexing his hands repeatedly. Bella watched from her seat as Gemma inspected him. “It’s fine ma. I took care of it.” Gemma glanced at Chibs and Opie before pursing her lips at him. “Ok. Take care of this this shit tonight. Your son is going to need you in the morning.” Jax studied his mother for a moment before nodding and kissing her forehead. He then made his way over to Bella.

                “You alright darlin’?” he asked her. Bella smiled at him and nodded. “I can imagine this is not how you planned to spend your birthday. We’ll make it up to you, I promise.” She just shook her head. “Nah, no need to do that. This is honestly the best birthday I’ve ever had.”

                “Hold on! It’s your birthday?!” Chibs hollered out. Bella ducked her head, blush heating her cheeks rapidly. “Why didn’t you say anything lass?” She just shrugged. “I honestly only thought about it yesterday. I’ve never celebrated it before, so it’s never been important.” She sighed and smiled at her father. “But now I will never forget it because Abel and I will be celebrating it together for many years to come.”

                Tig came through the clubhouse door just then with Half-Sack. “Fried and Refried are taken care of. At least we got them out before county got to them. Good job Prospect.” The goofy looking Prospect nodded blushing slightly.

                Clay appeared at the chapel door. “Let’s go assholes.” Jax patted Bella’s knee and hugged Gemma before heading into Chapel. Chibs hugged his daughter. “We will be discussing a birthday celebration when this shit is clear.” He kissed her forehead and followed Jax. Opie grabbed her up off the stool in one of his patented bear hugs. “Happy birthday Bells.” He set her on her feet, giving her a lingering kiss on the cheek before he followed the other men, shutting the door behind him. Bella’s hand rose to her cheek as she smiled softly to herself, totally missing the knowing smirk that crossed Gemma’s face.

                Inside the Chapel, Clay banged the gavel. “Alright, Juice found the warehouse they’re storing the guns at. Jax, Chibs, Opie, Tig I want us to go, retrieve our merch, and blow that shit sky high. I want to send these Mayan fuckers a message that they can’t fuck with us.” The men gathered around the layouts of the warehouse area that Juice had printed out. It only took them an hour to make a solid plan. “One more thing,” Clay said before he banged his gavel to close church. “The Irish are nervous about the shit that’s been going on with the Mayans. They want to move shipment up north. Tacoma has been in contact with an MC up there in hopes to get some help. These guys are solid, run pretty much the same as we do: protect their own, keep their town clean. Close knit group of Indians, all related some way or another. They have agreed to help out.” The men around the table exchanged glances. “Does this mean patch over?!” Tig asked excitedly. He loved nothing more than a good patch over party. Clay smirked. “Yeah, I suppose so, though from what I understand this place is smaller than Charming. Might not have the pussy selection.” The men all chuckled. “The MC is from a reservation, La Push I think.” Chibs’ head snapped up at that. _Why does that sound familiar?_ Clay continued, “It’s near a place called…shit something to do with a utensil…” he trailed off. Chibs visibly paled. “Forks” it came out as a harsh whisper from his lips.

                All the heads at the table turned to him. Clay snapped his fingers. “Yeah that was it. How’d you know?” Chibs looked up at his President and swallowed hard. “The man who thought he was Bella’s father was from there.” His brothers exchanged glances again, cautious of how their friend would take this news. “You think it’s a good sign then?” Jax asked. Chibs thought for a moment. Maybe it was really fate that they were led to this place. “Aye. I don’t really believe in coincidence. This is a good move.” Jax nodded at him. “Alright then, let’s get this Mayan shit blown and then we’ll make a run to Washington.” With cheers from all the men, Clay banged the gavel and they filed out of Church to prepare for the long night ahead.

\-----00000-----

                Opie’s phone rang as he was grabbing it from the cigar box outside the chapel doors. “Yeah” he answered it. “Harry, I need you to come home. Aunt Maggie just called and needs my help. She’s sick and can’t do shit for herself right now.” Opie sighed heavily and cursed Donna to hell and back once again. “OK ma, I’ll figure something out.” He hung up the phone, squeezing it tightly in his fist. He looked around for Jax, prepared to tell him he wouldn’t be there tonight. Bella could see his frustration from her seat at the bar. “What is it, Ope?”

                He smiled softly at the beautiful brunette who was now standing in front of him. If there was one thing he was ashamed of in his crazy life, it was the inexplicable attraction he had to this girl. They had grown so close over the past couple of months and he reveled in it. No woman, not even Donna, had given him as much undivided attention as Bell had. And her maturity level was way beyond her teenaged years. Her life had been so tough and she had been forced to grow up way too fast. She should have been free to live her life as she wanted, not spent it having to take care of herself and endure the neglect of the woman who was supposed to love her unconditionally. And it was with much shame that Opie had to admit to himself that he liked this girl. Far more than he really should. Hell, she wasn’t even 18 for a full 24 hours yet!

                Opie shook those thoughts from his head quickly. “Ma just called. My Aunt Maggie has fallen ill and ma needs to get to her. I’m supposed to be on club business tonight but I’m going to have to change plans now.” Bella shook her head at him. “No you don’t. I know your business needs to get done. I’ll go over there take care of the heathens…I mean your darling angels.” She said giving him a big wink. Opie burst in uproarious laughter at her comment. He pulled the young woman into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Are you sure? I will be gone most of the night.”

                Bella pulled back to look up into Opie’s sparkling eyes. There’s that smile she craved. It was her favorite thing about him. Well, that and his eyes. So often his face was completely serious, almost sorrowful and heavy with the burdens place on him by a bitter ex-wife and a spiteful and bitchy mother. Bella made it her goal to see that smile and sparkle in his eyes as often as possible.

                “Yeah, it’s good. I’m guessing dad is going with you and I really don’t want to stay here tonight.” Opie nodded at her before pulling her back into a tight embrace. Bella sighed (hopefully inaudibly) into his chest, completely content to be held by this bear of a man. The only other place she ever felt this cared for or protected was with Jax or her dad. It was different with Opie though. She felt like she could crawl up in his arms and never leave. She wanted _his_ protection more than anything. _Was this what it feels like to be attracted to some one? I could get used to it._ She thought. Well, it didn’t matter right now. There were other things that need more attention.

                “OK, let me tell my dad. Then we can get to your house and relieve Mary.” Bella beamed at him as he let her go to her father. Opie watched the short conversation during which Chibs gave the taller man frequent glances and even one hard glare. Bella hugged her father tight and after receiving a kiss on the forehead from him, she made her way back to Opie. They headed out to his bike where she strapped on his extra helmet before straddling the bike behind him. Bella wrapped her arms as far as she could around Opie’s broad form and they took off for the all too short drive to his house.

                As soon as the engine was killed on the bike in the driveway, Mary was out the door and heading to her car. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. Kids are fed, I’ll call you later,” she hollered before she peeled out. Bella couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her mouth. “Well, alrighty then!” she said. Opie just quirked an eyebrow at her, chuckling softly as they made their way inside. Ellie and Kenny were watching some Disney TV movie snuggled down on the couch in the living room just beyond the dining room/kitchen that was right inside the front door where Bella stood. She watched as Opie went to his kids. He knelt in front of them, giving them basic information for the night. He would be gone, but would be back before they woke up. Bella would be there and there was nothing to worry about. He gave them both long tight hugs before kissing their hair and walking back towards Bella.

                Opie nodded his head to the side silently asking Bella to follow him. The furthest she had been down the hallway was to the bathroom which was the first door on the left in the narrow hallway. She knew Opie’s bedroom was further down and Ellie and Kenny’s rooms were on the right. There were pictures on the walls of the kids in various stages of growing up. Of course anything that had Donna in it was pulled down and packed away for the kids when they were older.

                Opie opened the door to his bedroom, flipping on the light and ushering Bella into the room. It was a simple room. A large oak bed against the wall opposite the door under a wide, narrow window. Two matching nightstands flanked the bed and a large, long dresser with mirror were set on the wall facing the bed. The wall furthest from the door had two doors that Bella assumed led to the closet and bathroom. Opie cleared his throat nervously, breaking Bella from her perusal of the bedroom. “You can sleep in here tonight. I don’t want to wake you when I get home. There’s some…uh…t-shirts …uh in the top right drawer. Ya know, so you can….yeah…sleep in and be more comfortable…ya know, if you want or whatever.” Bella couldn’t help but giggle at the giant of man that was running his hand over his face and hair, a faint red staining his cheeks. Was he nervous about something? “Well, at least I know it’ll be long enough to cover my ass!” Opie’s blush seemed to deepen as he laughed, shaking his head to dispel his nervousness.  “Help yourself to anything Bells. Mi casa es su casa!” Bella smiled at him and they walked back down the hallway.

                Opie called a quick goodbye to his kids which they returned and headed to the front door. Bella grabbed his arm before he walked out. She looked up at him, biting her lip nervously. “Please, watch out for my dad, and Jax, and…especially you. I need all of you to come home safely.” Opie cupped her face in his large hands, rubbing his thumbs lightly over her cheeks. “Always Bells. I got this.” He leaned down placing a kiss on her cheek, right at the corner of her mouth before turning and walking to his bike. He quickly mounted and started the bike. He walked it down the driveway and with one more quick glance and wave to Bella, he took off to the clubhouse leaving the stunned girl in the doorway, hand to her cheek once again.


	12. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blowing up a warehouse is always fun! And talks with Bella and Opie :-)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for the way I write Chibs speaking. I can’t bring myself to write full on pronunciation because honestly, it just looks silly to me lol. I will keep the ayes, lass, ye as they are, but even though I write in proper English, I hear Tommy Flanagan in my head. Does that make sense? Hope so!

 

              It was dark around the warehouse in Lodi. Chibs and Opie sat watch while Jax, Tig, and Clay were gathering their merchandise. While both were focused on their surroundings, their minds were miles away on a certain brunette back in Charming, but for completely different reasons. Chibs was thinking about everything his child had been through and how guilty he felt for not being there for her. It didn’t matter that he had no clue about her, he still should have been there. Chibs had spent many a night listening to her cry and trying his best to comfort her. He saw her strength during the day; she was a strong young woman who was compassionate with others, helpful, and kind, keeping herself busy. But at night, when there were no more distractions, no one to help, her memories caught up to her and invaded her sleep.

                The first couple of times she woke up screaming, Bella tried to push Chibs away. But he was relentless. He finally got her to open up about the dreams. Well, they were less dreams, more like memories. Cruel memories of hits and slaps, of nights spent alone and hungry, screams of pain while one Renee’s “friends” touched her and screams of ecstasy coming from her mother’s room where they would go when they were done with Bella. When Bella finally gave in and told him more of what happened over the years, Chibs’ fury towards the evil woman grew. He knew she was still in jail, but he didn’t know how long that would last. They still hadn’t found the last asshole Renee was with, but he wasn’t giving up hope. He had finally gotten her to describe the man and had Happy work up a pretty good sketch of him. They had distributed it to all their charters and everyone was on the lookout.

                Opie’s contemplation of the young woman who was more than likely currently asleep in his bed was as far from Chibs’ as possible. He had finally admitted his feelings to himself, but he had no idea where to go from there. He knew he couldn’t act on them. Chibs would have his balls in vice before he could even think about it. But he couldn’t ignore them. Opie was a man of action. He wanted to make Bella his in every way. He may be 12 years her senior, but she was so far beyond his level of maturity it wasn’t even funny.

                “So what’s going on with ye and my girl?” Chibs’ question was so out of left field, Opie jumped before turning and giving the older man a questioning look. Chibs just quirked his eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Opie asked haltingly. He wasn’t prepared to share any of his feelings with his brother yet, if ever!

                “Ye know what I mean. I’ve seen the way you look at her and I see the way she looks at you. I just want to know what’s going on.” Chibs voice was light, but Opie could see the intensity in his eyes. He was not going to get out of this, no way.

                Opie heaved a large sigh, wishing he could have a smoke right now. He needed something to relieve the tension he was feeling, but not on this job. Too much risk of exposure from the smoke or even the tiny light of the cherry on the end of the cigarette. So he ran his hand down his growing beard, tugging lightly. “I don’t know about her man, but yeah, I can’t deny I feel something for her. She’s brilliant, compassionate, wonderful with my kids, and so damn beautiful. But you’ve got to understand, there’s nothing going on. I have not and _will_ not act on it. There’s no use in me thinking about what ifs, it’s just not gonna happen. She deserves more than me, more than what I can give her.” Opie bowed his head at his admission.

                Chibs sighed in realization of what he was going to have to say to the man. Though he had just gotten his daughter in his life, he wouldn’t deny her if she wanted the man he called brother. It was obvious from the looks he often saw her giving Opie that she was attracted to him. And the way she had blushed that night when she was telling him about watching Opie’s kids made it all painfully obvious.

                “Aye, she deserves the world. That girl has been through the shitter and back and I want more than anything to see her thrive and get everything she needs and desires.” Heaving another great sigh, Chibs continued. “And from what I’ve seen in her actions, she apparently wants you.”

                Opie’s eyes widened as he turned to the Scot. He must have misheard, there was no way young, beautiful Bella wanted his old ass. He shook his head. “Nah man, you got it wrong. She’s too young and so far out of my league. Bells is in the stratosphere, I’m wallowing in the mud.” He smiled, but it was a sad smile, one of a man that knew he could never have what he wanted.

                Chibs chuckled lightly. “That may be true, but I’ve seen the way she looks at you, the way she cares for your kids. She’s different with you. Bella's interaction with the other guys around clubhouse is cordial, friendly to an extent. I can tell she cares for them as friends. Even Jax is held at a certain length. I know they’ve gotten close, there’s just something different in the way she looks at you versus how she looks at him. He’s a great friend to her, a shoulder to lean on that they both need right now. But when she’s with you? Completely different. It's all in the eyes. And as much as it pains me, I want her to have that look all the time.”

                Opie raised an eyebrow at Chibs. “I still don’t understand. I’ve only ever seen her act the same way with me as she does everyone else.” Chibs looked at the younger man incredulously. “You honestly don’t see it? She looks at you with stars in her eyes, like she’s seeing the sun for the first time. She looked at me like that when I first met her. But since she’s met you? That’s the only time I see that sparkle. So yeah, I believe she has feelings for you beyond friendship. And while I may not like it all the time, I won’t deny her or you brotha. You both deserve a chance at happiness and something in my gut says that you can give her that.” Chibs held Opie’s stare for a moment and lowered his voice. “I know you will treat like the princess she is and if there was any person, inside or outside of the club that I would chose for her, it would be you. Just remember this, you hurt my daughter in anyway, I will be earning my Men of Mayhem patch on your ass. Brotha or no, that is my kid and I will destroy anything that hurts her. Just ask her mother.”

                “All done, let’s get setup so we can blow this popsicle stand” Jax’s voice was jovial as he neared the men waiting to set up the dynamite. He quirked his eyebrow as he sensed the tension between the two, but Opie nodded at Chibs and stood silently to get to work. Jax followed quickly, grabbing his friend’s arm. “Everything a’ight man?” He asked. Still walking towards the warehouse, Opie turned his head, smiling lightly at him. “Yeah man, it’s all good. And just gonna get better.” Jax chuckled as Chibs caught up with them, slapping both of them on the back. “Alright boys, let’s do this!”

\-----00000-----

                It was dark and silent as Opie made his way into his home at three a.m. He quietly closed the door and removed his kutte. Hanging it on the hook by the door, he removed his wallet, guns, and knife placing them in locking drawer in the table beneath the hooks. Opie checked on both of his kids as he made his way down the hall. They were sleeping peacefully and he couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face. They had been through hell the past few months with the abandonment of their mother. But they were Winstons and they were strong. He knew what it was like to have a mother walk out on them and though she was there now, Mary’s leaving when he was younger had affected him more than he wanted to admit. Wasn’t a mother’s love supposed to be unconditional? He may not have carried them as they grew in his body, but there was no way he could ever voluntarily leave his children.

                Opie decided to shower in the hall bathroom before he checked on Bella. He was a mess and smelled of gunpowder and sweat and he knew she was a light sleeper. He didn’t want to frighten her if he accidentally woke her up. As the water ran down his body, washing away the night’s work, he thought about what he and Chibs talked about that night. Chibs was basically giving his blessing for him to date Bella. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Sure he wanted Bella, wanted to see what her lips and body tasted and felt like. But he also wanted her heart. Was he ready for that? Was this just a rebound?

                Opie would be the first to admit that he had struggled with his feelings for his ex-wife since she left. He understood her frustrations. This Life wasn’t an easy one. It took a certain kind of person to live as an Old Lady and Opie had spent the better part of the last 15 years or so trying to mold Donna into that. He had fallen into instant lust with her at 15 and it took about a year for it to turn to love and then to another year to decide she was it for him. Sure he heard her complaints when Opie and Jax decided they were done with school and began prospecting. And her bitching was constant about the runs and the work he had to put in. But there were the happy moments where they were alone and her tiny body was enfolded in his arms or they were looking at their children sleeping in their cribs and then beds. Those were the moments that he held on to the hardest, especially the long nights in Chino. He had hoped his distance from the club once he was out would help their marriage, but in the end it just wasn’t enough. The fire they had early on was doused the day he enter that place. She never even made the effort to visit him or bring the kids and in the back of his mind he knew she was planning her escape. He figured she would have left with the kids while he was inside but apparently she was just biding her time until he came home. At least she left them here with him. He wouldn’t have survived without them.

                Opie cut the water and pulled a towel of the rack by the tub, quickly drying off. He finally noticed the clothes sitting on the counter with a little note on top. “Figured you’d want to shower so I left you some clothes. Hope all went well. Good night! Bells” Opie couldn’t help the smile that spread widely across his face. This right here is exactly what he needed. She may not have grown up in the Life, but in only a month, she had taken to it like a duck to water. It was quite obvious that Chibs had been educating her on certain things and of course Gemma had taken the girl under her wing. She helped Bella adjust to the uncertainty of a run and understand the need for secrecy. Yeah, Bella fit in quite well in their dysfunctional family. Quickly dressing, Opie cut the light and made his way silently down the hall.

                His bedroom door was partially open so Opie peered in. The bright moon poured through the window illuminating the woman. It was such an odd sight for him to see: a beautiful woman spread haphazardly across his bed, covers half covering her as she turned on her side slightly, muttering something about gremlins in her sleep. Opie had to press his lips together tightly to hold back the chuckle that wanted to escape, but his demeanor quickly changed as he watched Bella’s relaxed face tense and turn into a frown. She began shaking her head, mumbling some more though this time he couldn’t make out the words. He eased the door open a little further, hoping that whatever she was dreaming would pass over quickly and she’d calm. But then she began tossing and turning, holding her hands out like she was shoving someone off of her. Her head was shaking back and forth and as Opie approached he could finally understand what she was saying. “No…..go back to Renee…..stop…..stop….NO!!” The last word came out loudly and Opie acted fast. He sat on the bed beside her, calling her name as he laid a hand on her shoulder. He shook he gently, “Bells, wake up, it’s Ope, no one is here to hurt you.”

                Bella suddenly sat up, gasping for breath. Her eyes were wide as she twisted her head around, trying to figure out where the hell she was. Her eyes finally met Opie’s as she caught her breath. “Sorry, I’m so sorry! I was hoping I was tired enough not to dream tonight. Oh Jesus, I can’t believe….” She trailed off as Opie studied her face. He grabbed her hands and place them in his lap before reaching up to hold her cheek. “It’s ok Bells. You’re fine I promise. I….we will always keep you safe.” Bella stared up into his eyes, scanning them for truth. Finally she found what she was looking for and closed her eyes. She nodded her head before leaning ever so slightly into his large warm hand.

                Opie smiled at her action, content in just touching her face. But apparently she wasn’t because the next thing he knew, he had a lap full of Bella as she climbed on him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He felt her shaking before he heard her sobs begin. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her tight. “I can’t stand it! Every night….every fucking night! And it’s always a different memory too because there are so many of them. I don’t want them, I want to forget and move on. God, why can’t I just move on?!” Her words broke his heart and he just continued holding her, rocking them back and forth. It was the only comfort he could provide her right now.

                After what seemed like an eternity, Bella’s sobs stopped. She pulled back a little, wiping her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break like that. God, I must look like an idiot.” She went to climb out of his lap but Opie just tightened his grip on her. “None of that now.” His voice was a low murmur. “Everyone has a breaking point, there’s no shame in that.” Bella heaved a deep sigh and looked up at him, staring into his eyes. She studied them, the greens and browns blending together to make a lighter shade of brown than the last time she had really looked into them. They seemed to be boring straight into her own chocolate orbs, reading her every thought and down into her soul. His hand caressed her cheek again, rubbing his thumb gently across the apples of her cheeks. It was an intimate gesture, one they both craved though neither knew it until that moment.

                Opie wasn’t sure what made him do it, maybe it was the vulnerability or maybe the talk he had with Chibs before, but he found his face lowering to hers, eager to taste he lips. She didn’t move, didn’t turn away, just sat there, her breath quickening as she anticipated her first kiss. When his lips met hers, their worlds exploded. It was gentle, a testing of the waters. Opie pulled back after a second, asking a million questions with his eyes. Was this ok? Did she want to do it again? _Yes, please!_ She begged in her mind. She must have physically conveyed the message because next thing she knew, his hands were buried in her hair at the base of her neck and his lips were back on hers. His tongue traced her lips, begging for entrance that she hesitantly gave. She has never been kissed before, much less with this level of tenderness. Bella found herself wanting to drown in it, lose herself in his arms and mouth. Opie expertly coaxed her response and turned her to straddle his lap. His hands wandered down her back, caressing her through his t-shirt. Her curves were soft, pliable under fingers.

                Bella rested her hands on his shoulders, unsure of what to do with them at first. When she felt Opie’s hands move across her, she gained her courage, moving them over the top of shoulders, into his hair, tugging lightly on the strands. She smiled against his mouth when she heard him moan slightly. Finally pulling away from him, Bella bit her lip in nervousness. What did this mean? Did he return her feelings? They had grown so subtly over the past weeks and only been realized this afternoon before church. She didn’t care he had two kids, one only 8 years younger than her. She didn’t care he was older or was in an MC or that he had been married before. All she cared was that he was a wonderful human being underneath the leather and tattoos. He always treated her with respect, talked to her like an adult, listened to her when she needed it. She had grown to love Ellie and Kenny as more than just her friend’s kids. They held a special place in her heart, one that could never be taken away.

                Was it fast? Yeah, probably. But there was nowhere to go from here but up. And for her part, Bella knew she wanted it to take that ride with him. So she let a small smile grace her lips and in a breathy whisper said “Wow.” Opie chuckled deep in his chest and nodded. “Yeah, I’m sor….” Bella stopped him with a gentle peck on the lips. “No, don’t apologize. I’m not sorry. Honestly I’ve wanted to do that, but figured I was just some kid you were being nice to and didn’t want to embarrass myself and….” It was Opie’s turn to press his finger to her lips. “Hush now. You are so much more than that, you have no idea. I’ve felt guilty for even thinking about you in that way because you _are_ so young and have so much life ahead of you.” He sighed deeply dropping his hand from her face. “You deserve so much more, everything your heart desires, opportunities that I may not be able to give you. But, Bella, I can’t deny that I want to try. You have shown me more compassion and understanding than anyone ever has, even my own family. I care for you, more than I should, but I don’t care anymore.” He cupped her face again and rubbed his thumb on her cheek. “What about my dad? He won’t be happy.” Opie smirked. “Actually we talked about it this evening. He’s ok with it. I honestly wasn’t expecting to have that conversation with him at all, but I’m not upset by it. We’ll keep the PDA around him to a minimum though” he said with a wink.

                Bella giggled and fell back into his embrace. This was good, this was right. She was so comfortable just being with him. Slowly her eyes closed and she began to doze off. Opie noticed and laid her back on the bed. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and went to stand but she grabbed his arm. “Can….can you stay please? I….I just…don’t want to be alone” she whispered. Opie nodded and pulled the covers back. Climbing in the bed, he laid on his back next to her. Tentatively Bella snuggled up into him, eventually letting him wrap his arm her. Her head laid on his chest as she laid her arm over his stomach with a sigh. Bella was lulled quickly into a dreamless sleep by Opie’s steady breaths and heartbeat under her ear.


	13. Success

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The "Morning After", hospital visits (rut roh Tara!), and more bonding with Chibs!

 

              The beeping of the alarm on Bella’s phone woke them both a few hours later. Bella startled at first, disoriented. Then she remembered where she was and what had happened the night before. A small smile graced her lips as she felt Opie shift underneath her, reaching for her phone to turn the alarm off. Once he settled back down he groaned lightly. “You do realize your alarm was set for five a.m. right?” Bella snuggled her face into his chest and giggled. “Yeah, I do. I was hoping you would be home and I could scoot over to the hospital. They’re doing Abel’s stomach surgery this morning. I wanted to be there with Gemma and Jax. They need all the support they can get.”

              Bella began to rise from his arms, but Opie held her tight for a moment. “I know babe. Just give me a moment longer.” Bella sighed and stayed where she was. It would take the urgent calling of her bladder a few minutes later to finally convince Opie to release her. Once business was done, Bella walked shyly back into the bedroom, completely unsure of how to act around the man now. Was he still sincere about wanting to be with her? Was she willing to take the chance with her heart? Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she was willing. Their connection was deeper than she had thought it could possibly be and there was really no denying it.

              Opie was sitting up on the side of his bed, rubbing his hands down his face in an effort to wake up if only for a few moments to see Bella off. “How are you getting to the hospital?” _Oh shit!_ Bella thought. She hadn’t considered getting there. Biting her lip, she tried to think of something. Opie could see her uncertainty and chuckled lightly. “Why don’t you just take my truck? It’s a beast, but it will get you where you need to go. And I know we don’t want to wake the kids up yet, they have a little longer before they need to get up and you know how cranky Ellie can be without her ‘beauty sleepy’. You can just keep it for the day in case you need to do anything else.” Bella gave him a questioning look. “Are you sure? I mean, I know you’ll need it at some point and I don’t want to mess up your plans today or anything and….”

              Opie got up from the bed and grabbed her hands, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. Bella was lost for a moment and stopped talking. “It’s fine. The kids will be at school and I only need my bike to get to the garage. Take the truck, do what you need to do.” All Bella could do was nod and smile at him. “Thank you.” He smiled at her and pressed another kiss to her lips, fighting to keep it simple. He knew he would have to move slowly with her and that was ok. It would be worth it for sure. Bella looked up into his eyes, hesitating to ask the question on the tip of her tongue. “So last night was real? I didn’t dream anything?” Opie had to chuckle again. “Yeah Bells, it was real. I want this with you. We’ll go at whatever pace you want to. I just want to be able to hold your hand and kiss you whenever I want. I’ll tell your dad when I get to the garage and I can almost guarantee everyone will know by the end of the day. Those big bad bikers are worse than gossiping old ladies sometimes.” Bella laughed at that because, honestly, it was true. The smile wouldn’t leave her face as she held his gaze. “Ok then.” She then turned towards the bathroom.

              "I'm going to go shower and get dressed. I’m supposed to meet them at 6 at the hospital.” Opie nodded at her and she made her way to get ready for what she was sure was going to be a stressful day for her friend. Opie made his way to the kitchen to prepare some coffee for her. He knew they were both going to need it.

\-----00000-----

              Bella gazed into the NICU room just watching Jax and Gemma. They were talking quietly while gazing at tiny Abel in the incubator. She couldn’t believe how attached she had gotten to these people in such a short period of time. She worried over them, prayed over them, hoped with them. And now she would wait with them as they watched the tiniest Teller go through life saving surgery. Bella shut her eyes for a moment. _Lord, don’t take this tiny life from them. He is the only thing holding the man before me together._

              When Bella opened her eyes, they met the oceanic blue of Jax’s. He smiled lightly at her before waving her in. “Hey darlin’. Thank you for being here.” Bella returned his smile and grabbed his hand, nodding at him. “Of course I’m here. This is family. I’ll be there every step of the way.” He pulled her to his chest and just held her. Bella was exactly what he needed right now, a strong shoulder to lean on without judgement or expectations. He knew exactly where he stood with her and for once in his life that was ok. She was his friend, probably the first and only female he would ever see that way. He didn’t question it, didn’t look for more, just enjoyed having a “sister” in every way but blood.

              Gemma watched the pair as they sought and gave comfort to each other and smiled to herself. She was never more grateful that the girl had entered their lives than at that moment. When she first met Bella, Gemma had feared she would tear their family apart. This girl was an outsider, no more than a stranger and had shown up claiming blood and bond with one of their own. But that moment in the airport when she held her own against the Queen, Bella had proved herself worthy. And over time, she had wormed her way into everyone’s heart. Now here she was, supporting her extended family in their time of need and having no qualms about it. Gemma knew in the back her mind that one day sweet Bella would make an excellent Old Lady. She just had to figure out who it would be with.

              A sharp knock on the door interrupted the family and disturbed Abel. His tiny cries could be heard in the quiet room like a boom of thunder. Bella quickly made her way to the incubator while glaring over her shoulder at the intruder. _Of course, the ever annoying Dr. Knowles._ She turned her attention to the crying infant and began to sing softly to him.

 _Baby mine, don't you cry_  
Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part  
Baby of mine

 _Little one, when you play_  
Don't you mind what they say  
Let those eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear  
Baby of mine

              By the second verse, Abel’s cries had quieted. By the end, his eyes had opened and seemed to be staring at Bella above him. Though she knew he wasn’t really seeing her, it was still emotionally overwhelming. “Seems like every time I’m here, I’m singing to you” Bella chuckled. She then turned to the good doctor. “I would think as a medical professional you would know better than to bang on a patients door that loudly. The last thing in the world this child needs is to be disturbed.”

              Jax smirked and nodded his head. “Where’s Dr. Namid? It was my understanding that he was going to be on this.” He turned his hard gaze to the woman that he used to love. Ten years had changed so much for him and his feelings toward her. It may have taken him a while to get there, but now it was only contempt he held for her. There was nothing she could do to reenter his good graces. Tara cleared her throat nervously. “He’s on his way. I wanted to make sure everything was set and ready for Abel to go.” Jax nodded. “Well seeing as how you can’t have the decency to be polite when something as simple as entering a room, I think it’s time you took yourself off this case. I honestly don’t want you near my child. I thank you for whatever help you have given him so far, but it’s time for you to go.” Jax’s eyes were cold and hard as they remained in a stare off with Tara.

              Gemma and Bella couldn’t help their smiles as they watched Jax take on his past. Tara straightened her shoulders and stared right back at Jax. “Like I said, Dr. Namid is on his way. I think it is in Abel’s best interest that I assist in this surgery. Abel will need all the help he can get, this procedure is very delicate and….” Tara was interrupted mid-sentence by the opening of the NICU door again. “Ah, there you are Dr. Knowles. Denise was looking for you at the nurses’ station. She needs you to sign off on some charts before the end of your shift.” Dr. Namid said in a soft voice. Tara flushed in anger and embarrassment while it took every ounce of will power Bella and Gemma had to keep from laughing out loud.

              Tara did an abrupt about face and stormed out of the room without another word as Dr. Namid turned to Jax. “Well, now that that is taken care of,” he said with a small smile, “We can focus on little Abel here. I apologize for her intrusion. She’s been trying to get on this case, but to be honest, I can’t allow her. Your mother explained the history yesterday and I can’t in good conscious allow her in the operating room. I am unsure of her intentions. But let me reassure you,” Dr. Namid turned to all three people in the room. “I have the absolute best team assembled to do everything we can for him. I won’t say this is simple and he’ll be fine in a few hours. We will work hard are very carefully to give Abel every chance he deserves.” The doctor’s confidence bolstered their spirits and gave them some peace. They knew that Abel was in the best hands possible now.

              Jax nodded his head and held out his hand. “Thank you doc. I know you will do everything you can.” The doctor shook his hand then turned to the door, motioning a nurse in. “We will get started immediately. His vitals overnight and so far this morning were very good, impressively so.” Jax couldn’t help the smirk that crossed his face. _That’s my boy!_ “We will repair the belly first and I’m hoping that he’s stable enough while we’re in there that we can go ahead and address the heart.” Dr. Namid’s voice was confident and hopeful now. “This is going to be a long surgery and you are more than welcome to wait here or in the operating waiting room. If you have something that you need to do outside the hospital, be sure to leave a phone number to be reached.” Jax nodded at him. “I may have to leave for a little bit, but if anything comes up, you have my permission to talk to my mother,” he pointed at Gemma, “Or my sister.” And he pointed at Bella then.

              Bella looked wide eyed at Jax before smiling. Sister. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant that sincerely and she wasn’t going to protest it. Dr. Namid nodded at Jax and walked out the door to get scrubbed in for surgery. The nurse had unlocked the wheels on Abel’s incubator and monitor pole and began pushing them towards the door. She paused at the door, letting the group say their goodbyes.

              “Be strong. Show those bitches what a Teller is made of.” Gemma said, kissing her fingers and placing them gently on the plastic. Bella stepped forward next. “Ok lil man, you got this. You will be perfectly fine, I can’t have my twin being anything other way.” She mimicked Gemma’s actions and stepped back into the older woman’s embrace. Finally Jax stepped up, placing his hand on top of the incubator. He was silent for a few moments before sighing deeply. “Be good, no hitting on the hot nurses.” He chuckled out. “I love you son.” He tapped lightly and nodded at the nurse. They followed her out of the room, Gemma’s arms wrapping around both Jax and Bella and watched as the nurse wheeled one of the most important members of their family down the hallway. _Please, please God. Let this work._

\-----00000-----

              Chibs entered the waiting room on the second floor of St. Thomas hospital two hours later. Jax and Gemma had both shown up at TM about 20 minutes previously, both too anxious to sit in the waiting room any more. They said that Bella had assured them she would let them know as soon as there was any word. Chibs couldn’t help the smile of pride from crossing his face. It still amazed him how well his daughter had fit in with his chosen family and how important she had become to all of them. Yes, she still had her moments of struggle, but the moments of triumph were becoming more frequent and each was better than the last.

              “Good mornin’ lass.” Bella jumped at the sound of her father’s voice. She had been in her own little dream world where Abel was a healthy little boy and her, Opie, and Jax were laughing as he chased Ellie and Kenny around the yard. Turning to her father, Bella couldn’t help the embarrassed smile that crossed her face. “Hey dad. I’m guessing all went well last night?” She bit her lip nervously. She had no idea if Opie had the chance to talk to her father or not and she didn’t want to bring it up.

              Chibs smirked. He could practically feel the nervousness radiating from her body. And he knew exactly why.

_Flashback_

_Chibs was sitting in the bar in the clubhouse, nursing a cup of coffee. It had been a long night for sure, but it was done. They got the guns back and Juice and Tig were set to deliver them in a few hours. Jax had already left for the hospital and the rest of the guys were getting setup up to open the garage._

_But Chibs was waiting for one person in particular. After their conversation last night, he knew that Opie wouldn’t waste time and would be coming to make an announcement to the older man as soon as he got there._

_Sure enough, as soon as Chibs took his last swallow of coffee, the doors to the clubhouse swung open to admit the gentle giant. “Mornin’!” Opie called, his voice awfully chipper for 8 a. m. Chibs scowled halfheartedly. Yeah, he did it. Sighing deeply, he raised his head to speak to the young man before him. The man who was now courting his little girl._

_“Aye, you are correct. Glad to see you know the time of day. Now I’d ask why the hell you were so chipper, but I believe I know the answer to that.” Opie’s smile was wide, though there was a hint of blush and embarrassment in his eyes. “Yeah, well we talked last night. And it’s all good. I guess you could say we’re together now?” He chuckled mirthlessly. “To be honest, I have no idea. But I told you before and I’ll tell you again. I’m all in with this Chibs. I will take care of her, I swear. I won’t push her into anything she doesn’t want. We’re going slow. I’ve got patience.”_

_Chibs nodded his head. “Alright then, just remember what I said. They won’t find your body.” Opie nodded seriously to the man. “Of course.”_

              “Aye, everything went well. And apparently it went well for you also last night.” Chibs raised his eyebrow as his daughter ducked her head and blushed beet red. Did she really want to have this conversation now? Well, it doesn’t look like she’s going to have a choice.

              “Yeah dad, last night was mostly good. The kids were excellent of course and went to bed without a problem. Though I am glad Opie got home when he did and saved me from another nightmare.” Bella’s head dropped in shame. It was always hard for her to admit her nightmares and how much they affected her. Chibs sighed, the burden of her life before Charming heavy in his heart. He wanted more than anything to pull that weight off her shoulders and put it on his own. All he could do was be there when he could. And now it seemed he had an ally in this fight against her memories.

              He pulled Bella into his arms, just holding her for a moment. “I’m sorry lass. Was it the same thing?” He felt her nod into his chest and the only thing he could do was drop a kiss to the top of her head. “It’s ok lass. They’ll pass eventually. Maybe not today or tomorrow or next month. But you will get past them.” And now came the really hard part. “And I hear you will be having a way to make new memories.”

              Bella pulled back from her father, chuckling lowly. “Yeah, I guess you talked to Opie.” She couldn’t meet Chibs’ eyes just yet. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed of her relationship, she was just cautious of what her father would say, even with Opie’s assurances.

              Chibs put his finger under her chin, gently pulling her head up to look into her eyes. “Bella, it’s ok. I have known that lad for years, watched him grow from prospect to member. He’s served his brothers, spent time in prison for them, and has done everything he can for his kids. He’s loyal to fault and if I have no doubts in my mind that he would be good for you.” He studied her face to make sure she understood what he was telling her. “Just remember this: I have warned him. I will not have him hurting you in any way. And I’m trusting you to tell me if he does. But,” he paused and held her hands tightly. “I must tell you the same thing. Do not go into this lightly lass. He’s a brother and I won’t see him hurt either. He deserves just as much respect as you do.”

              Bella smiled at her father and nodded. “I know dad. Thank you. I will do everything in my power to keep him happy. And I promise, you’ll be the first to know when he fucks up.” Chibs chuckled at that. Yeah, no doubt Opie would mess up at times, so would Bella. This was new territory for both of them.

              Chibs and Bella sat back in their seats, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and her head on his shoulder. They didn’t need any more words on the topic, they completely understood where there other was coming from. They sat undisturbed for another hour, just enjoying each other’s quiet company. When the doors of the surgery suite opened some time later, they immediately stood. Bella gripped her father’s hand tightly.

              Dr. Namid’s expression gave nothing away until he reached them. When he met Bella’s eyes, she could see the happiness in them. “All went well. His stomach is repaired and we were able to get to his heart. As of now, everything is looking good. I will caution you though,” his eyes turned deeply serious. “The next 24 to 48 hours are going to be critical in his recovery. I have a good feeling though that this little man will be just fine.”

              Bella sighed and sagged into her father’s embrace. Chibs just chuckled and held his hand out for the doctor. “Thank ye lad. You have no idea what this means to our family.” The men shook hands, smiling at one another. “It’s nothing. Please let Mr. Teller know not to hesitate to call me if he has any questions. Abel will be back in his room in about an hour.” Bella nodded and surprised the doctor when she grabbed him in a tight hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you so so much.” Dr. Namid nodded as they broke apart. He turned to go back down the hall and Bella turned to her father. “Come on dad, let’s go give the good news!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually don’t like putting lyrics in the actual story, but the song I use here is from Dumbo and it holds a particularly special place in my heart as I frequently sang it to my fussy babies and they loved it. I am frequently inspired by music in my writing though and will always try to note when something is inspired.


	14. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prepping to go to Washington. Will Bella stay in Charming? And a certain doctor just can't leave well enough alone!

          The clubhouse was jubilant when the good news was delivered that morning. It was a break in luck that was much needed. Jax could literally feel the tension seep away from his shoulders as he hugged Bella. Once again he felt his gratitude for the girl rise. “Thank you Bells for watching out for my boy.” Bella beamed up at him. “No thanks needed Jax. Family takes care of family.” He gave her one more squeeze before releasing her and turning to his mother. “Come on Ma. Let’s get down there to wait for our boy to wake up. You coming Bells?” Bella shook her head and glanced over her shoulder at Opie. “Not yet, I’ll meet you down there in a little while.” With a smile and hug from Gemma, Bella turned and walked toward her….Old Man? Was that what he was to her now?

          As soon as Bella was within reach, Opie pulled her into his arms. It felt like it had been days since he last saw her and it was a big relief to hold her again. “I’m glad everything went well. You think he’ll recover?” Bella nodded against his broad chest. “Yeah. Doctor says the next 24-48 are critical, but I have no doubts that he’ll be just fine.” Her smile was brilliant and her happiness contagious. Opie stroked a finger down her cheek before lightly kissing her lips. “I agree.”

          The moment was interrupted by the clearing of a throat near them. Bella buried her completely flushed face into Opie’s kutte as he chuckled at Clay over her shoulder. “Well, we’re all glad for Jax and Abel. Hopefully he’ll be able to keep his head clear now. We have business to attend to in Washington. Church tonight, 6.” Opie nodded as Clay walked off. He glanced down at Bella who had a small frown on her face. “What’s going on in Washington?” she queried.

          Opie cleared his throat uncomfortably. He wasn’t sure how much her father had explained to her about the current situation with the guns and he honestly wasn’t sure how much he wanted her to know. He had no right to tell her anything before as she was just a friend. He didn’t think Chibs would have kept anything from her though. And then he remembered the one piece of advice Gemma had given him that he had actually followed when he was married to Donna. _You either tell her everything or you tell her nothing at all. There’s no half-in/half-out bullshit. That’ll only get both of you killed._ He had known Donna’s disdain for the club life (though not for the club money) and had chosen the nothing at all route. It had worked. Well, at least until she left.

          He often wondered if his lack of confidence in her is what lead to her leaving. Maybe that was the lesson he needed to take from those years: have faith in the ones you love. Now looking at Bella, Opie had no doubts that she would be able to handle anything that was thrown their way. She was as deep in this Life as any of the brothers were. She had accepted them no questions asked, knew most of their flaws and held no judgement towards them. So now, he was going to go the opposite way he had with Donna. Full disclosure.

          “Actually, that’s something that your dad and I wanted to talk to you about. I think you’ll find it very interesting.” Bella looked up at him, the questions obvious on her face. “Well, let’s get to it then! Where’s pop?!” Opie couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. “He made his way inside while you were talking to Jax.” Grabbing his hand, Bella nearly pulled the tall man off balance into the clubhouse. “Come on then!” she shouted, laughing at Opie’s stumbling.

          Chibs was at the bar, talking with Juice about the delivery of the AKs to the Niners. Everything had gone as planned and the gang was amenable to a slight shift in the next delivery because of the relocation of delivery issues. He was interrupted by a burst of laughter from the front of the clubhouse and turned to see his daughter dragging Opie through the door and over to where he was. He chuckled low in his chest, enjoying the look of embarrassment on the large man’s face.

          “Aye lass, you’ve had him less than a day and you are already dragging him around. I applaud ye!” Chibs raised the beer bottle in front of him to his daughter. She beamed at him. “Well, you taught me to not take shit from anyone, so sometimes you gotta make them move when you want them to.” Laughter was heard throughout the clubhouse, but Opie just rolled his eyes and pulled Bella’s body back flush against his own. “Yeah, well we’ll see how you like being dragged around later on. Don’t you have something you wanted to ask you dad?”

          Her face turned serious as she eyed her father. While she was unsure of what Opie felt about revealing club business to her, she knew without a doubt her father would tell her everything. So taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly and asked. “So what’s going on in Washington pop?” With the question out, Bella grabbed her bottom lip between her teeth. If it was anything like what she was thinking, she was unsure how she would react.

          Chibs sighed deeply in anticipation of this conversation. He hadn’t brought it up earlier at the hospital because he knew Bella would not have heard a word he said. Her mind had been in the OR with the doctors, nurses, and Abel and it wasn’t leaving until they did. But now it was time to tell her.

          “Well lass have a seat, Ope you too. Sack, pass us some beers will ya? I have a feeling we’re gonna need them.” Bella raised her eyebrow at that. It was a kind of unspoken rule that Bella didn’t drink in front of her dad. She knew he had no qualms about her being underage or anything, it was just a sign of respect. And if she did drink with Jax or Opie before, it was always kept to a minimum. She had no desire to get shitfaced, but couldn’t say she didn’t like the taste of a good beer or glass of wine.

          Juice and Tig wandered over to the pool table after the beer were delivered and opened. Chibs picked up his bottle, taking a healthy swig before tapping it gently a few times on the bar top. He was just trying to figure out how to word his thoughts. “Well, as you know our warehouse was blown to smithereens. We have found a place to rebuild, but it’s gonna take a while to get all the shite set up so we can start. The Irish are not letting us off easy though. They still want their merchandise distributed.” Bella just stared at her father as she took a drink from her beer bottle, anxious to find out what this had to do with Washington.

          “They’re decided that shipments will be sent farther north for now. The explosion spooked them a bit and there’s apparently been some talk around the docks in Oakland. They already had some contacts in Canada, Victoria I think, that are willing to help out as it were. The Tacoma chapter was going to make the runs from there to Canada, but it’s an eight hour round trip for them. Clay has had them scouting other clubs in the northern Washington area for a while now, seeing if there could be any help. And Lee happened to find one, much closer to the border. Call themselves Wolf Warriors. Young kids, but similarly minded. Big on family, keeping outsiders away.” Chibs paused to light a cigarette and offering one to Opie who accepted. Bella shifted in her seat, her anxiety building.

          Opie laid his large hand on her back in support. He wasn’t sure how she would react to this next part and he wanted to offer her comfort as best he could. Chibs took a long drag off the cigarette and place it in the ashtray in front of him. He took one of Bella’s hands in his own, holding it tightly. “The Warriors are from a little place called La Push.” He paused for a moment as heard Bella’s breath hitch slightly. “That’s….isn’t that….wait….” She stuttered over her words and thoughts. She knew that name. It was a place she wanted to visit for she knew it held answers to the man who would have been her father. “That’s near Forks isn’t it dad? Near where Charlie was from?” Her voice was small and hesitant.

          Chibs nodded at his daughter. “Aye lass, it is.” Bella finally released the tears that had been welling in her eyes. She had spent so long wondering about the man who had been so relentless in his search for her. She had wanted to pay her respects and thank everyone who had helped him. From the articles that she had found, Bella knew that the people of Forks and especially of La Push had been vital in helping him search for her, even after it was discovered he wasn’t her father. Carefully, she wiped her tears from her eyes and smiled at her father and then turned and smiled at Opie. “Ok, so what does this deal mean for the Sons and the Warriors? Will you just work together?”

          Opie decided to give Chibs a little break. The most important information had come from him and that was their goal. “Well, we will work together but not in the sense of two different clubs helping each other out. We will patch them over, make them Sons. They will be the La Push chapter. Once they get the hang of things, they will take over business further north and make the necessary runs.” Bella nodded her head, wondering how the patch over thing worked. “Annnnnnd we all know what that means!” Bella jumped at the sound of Juice’s voice from across the bar. She had totally forgotten they were there. “PATCH-OVER PARRRRRTYYYYY!!” Juice and Half-Sack cried together.

          Bella giggled at the boys’ enthusiasm and turned to her dad again. “I’m guessing that’s going to be an exceptionally good party?” Chibs nodded, smirk firmly planted on his face. “Aye my dear it is. And you’ll be able to witness it first-hand.” Opie tensed behind Bella and it didn’t go unnoticed. “I don’t know Chibs, do you really want her introduced to that madness?” Bella turned irritated eyes to her Old Man. “You really think you can keep me from going there?” They stared each other down for a few moments, brown on brown fighting for dominance. Opie finally closed his eyes sighing in defeat.

          “I know I can’t keep you from going up there Bells. There are so many answers you can get and I know how much you need this. But while we are there, please understand that I will be highly overprotective and will not let you out of my sight. This is non-negotiable. I don’t know those guys from Adam and I won’t take the chance of one of them trying something on you.” Bella smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” Opie pulled her into his arms, holding her close and breathing her unique scent in. Lavender and chocolate and just plain ol’ Bella. Chibs cleared his throat, once again gaining their attention. “Aye, you bet your arse you’ll be close to either him or me while we are up there. We’ll more than likely be meeting a bunch of people that knew Charlie, so I have no doubts that any questions you may have will be answered.” Bella nodded and started to get really excited planning all the questions she had for them in her head.

          But then she paused. “Ope, what about the kids? They have school and I don’t really think they should be going up there.” Smirking, Opie replied “Don’t worry, dad will stay here, and Mary will hopefully be around. You’re right they don’t need to be there for this. They’ll be ok.” Bella nodded and leaned more heavily into him. “So, when are we going?” Chibs and Opie exchanged glances over top of her head before Chibs replied “That’s what we’ll be deciding tonight. For now, why don’t you head back to the hospital and sit with Gemma. Tell Jax that he needs to get his arse back here by 6 for church. We’ll let you know everything from there.”

\-----00000-----

_Church, 6 P.M._

          “Before we get started,” Clay’s voice immediately quieted the idle chatter around the table. “I want to say congratulations Jax on the birth and continued healing of his son. I can’t even imagine what you must have been feeling the past couple of days and I am glad that you got everything taken care of.” The men seated around the table began pounding their fists in celebration. Though they had all had a rough couple days dealing with the Mayan shit, they were always happy for some good news. “Now, the club in Washington is anxious to get started and get to earning. We’ll head up there in two days. Will take a full day of riding, but we can break it into two. We should be there some time Friday evening. I don’t want any bullshit on this run. It’s important that it goes well so we have the trust of the Warriors and when they take their vote for patch-over after I speak to them, the answer is still yes.” Nods were seen around the table before Chibs tapped his knuckles on the table.

          “Clay, there’s one more thing we need to discuss about Washington.” Clay raised his eyebrow at the other man giving him the go ahead to continue. “As you know, the man that was searching for Bella was from Forks. Naturally Bella is curious about the man and would like to learn about him from whoever remembers him.” Clay’s brow furrowed as he took in the implications of what Chibs was saying. “So she wants to go with us” he asked. “Yeah, and I can’t blame or deny her. She deserves that just as much as I do. I think it will help, especially with her…” Chibs trailed off at that. He didn’t really want to mention her nightmares to the rest of his club.

          Clay glanced first at Jax then more carefully at Opie. From their interaction this morning, he knew there was something going on there now and he was truly curious how Opie felt about having his Old Lady around for this run. “You ok with this?” he asked the tall man. Opie met Clay’s steel blue gaze and nodded. “It’s what she wants. She’s been through more than any of us could even imagine. She needs this closure.” Clay nodded and looked at the rest of the club. “This is really unprecedented. We’ve never had an Old Lady on a run before. If she goes, she must understand and obey the rules of the run. I don’t think there’ll be any trouble since this is not a merchandise run. All in favor of allowing Bella on the run?” A chorus of “ayes” rang around the table. “Alright then. Chibs you arrange her transportation. I don’t think she’ll be up for that long a ride.”

          Chibs just raised an eyebrow, smirk firmly planted on his face. “Aye, dunna you worry about that. I’ve got it handled.”

\-----00000-----

          Few things made Gemma happier than seeing her family happy. As she watched Bella talking and singing to Abel, a sense of peace and contentment settled over her. It was really a miracle that this girl came into their lives and just exactly when they needed her. She had no doubts that it was Bella that kept Chibs grounded and kept Jax from doing something stupid as he was apt to do.

          And now apparently she kept Opie where he needed to be: with his family.

          She couldn’t deny the slight disappointment she felt when Bella had gushed to her earlier about her blooming relationship with the giant man. Gemma had hopes of maybe something happening with her son, but now that she thought about it, Bella was where she needed to be. She would have been good with Jax, but as much as she hated to admit it, Jax was just too immature for the girl, even though he was much older than her. He needed a friend to support him and guide him when it came to raising his son and dealing with the complications that will come with Abel’s health. He didn’t need to be spending his time trying to get into her pants (which she had no doubt he would NOT succeed in). And the more she thought about it, the more she agreed with Bella’s choice. Opie had to grow up quickly when that bitch Donna popped up pregnant with Ellie. Of course he had done the right thing and married her (though she personally felt that was the biggest mistake he ever made). Then the bitch left with no word and he had to take the responsibility of both kids by himself. He never really got the chance to be young and carefree. Gemma had the feeling that Bella would bring that into his life all while still taking care of his responsibilities.

          Gemma’s thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the NICU door. Her eyes narrowed at the person in the doorway. “I could have sworn that Dr. Namid said you were not on this case.” Bella’s eyes turned hard as she faced the doorway that held the not so wanted Dr. Tara Knowles. Tara rolled her eyes at the young girl and faced Gemma. “I was passing by and saw you in here. I didn’t know _she_ was here” she said, scoffing at Bella. “I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier and to let you know if you need anything at all, I will be there to help Abel. I want him to get well just as much as you do.” Bella rolled her eyes and snorted out a giggle. “You have got to be kidding me” she whispered at Abel.

          “As we explained before, you are not welcome here. We do not want you anywhere near Abel or Jax. You spent 10 years running from this place, why don’t you take another 10 year break?” Bella could see the anger rising in the doctor’s eyes with every word she spoke, but she was tired of this bullshit. Bitch had no reason to be there. “I don’t know who the fuck you think you are,” Tara started, her voice low and threatening. She stepped into the room, closing in on Bella and raising a finger to her face. “But I was here a hell of lot longer than you. You may think Jax is into you now, but he bores easily. And he will come back to me. Your fake protectiveness and concern for Abel is obvious and you just need to clear out now before you get hurt. Let the grownups handle this.”

          Bella’s eyes widened in shock at the words coming out of Tara’s mouth before she glanced at Gemma. Upon seeing the same look on her face, Bella let out a quiet burst of laughter, bending and grabbing her waist. She stayed like that for several minutes, Gemma chuckling quietly from the rocking chair next to the incubator. “Oh….my…god…” Bella could hardly get any words out of her mouth. “You…think that me…and Jax…oh shit…that’s got to be the funniest thing I’ve heard in a long time.”

          “Well I don’t think it’s that damn funny.” Jax’s voice coming from the door startled the room’s occupants. Bella’s face was red as she tried to hold in her laughter. “Sorry Jax, but that would be like dating my brother. And ick, no.” Her chuckles continued for a moment. “Glad to hear that babe.” Bella immediately stopped laughing, but the smile on her face grew even bigger at the sight of Opie behind Jax. Without a thought, Bella pushed past Jax and jumped into Opie’s arms. He held her tight for a moment before kissing the top of head and setting her back on feet. She grabbed his hand, squeezing it lightly and facing what appeared to be a standoff between Jax and Tara.

        “Ya know,” Jax said, his voice low and full of what Bella called his “angry growl”. “I have been patient so far. I asked you to step away from Abel’s case, Dr. Namid said you were not allowed to be here. I had expected you to be professional about this and respect our wishes. If you had to stay in the town and at this hospital, you could’ve at least done that. Remember it was _you_ that left Charming without so much as a fuck you. I was dead inside for years. Every time I tried to move on, slept with someone, hell when I fucking _married_ Wendy, I only thought of you. Your fucking face was everywhere and I could not escape it. I spent so long wanting you to come home, wishing you would just be back here in my arms.” Jax paused, his face tight with anger and a certain desperation to be free of the feelings he had held on to for so long. He was finally getting to tell her exactly how he felt and he wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

“I can’t tell you how many times my brothers had to pick my ass up, how many days I spent in a drunken stupor because that was the only way I wouldn’t feel the pain. And that woman,” Jax pointed at Gemma, his face so close to Tara’s now she could feel the force of his words pounding into her head. “She had to watch her son fall apart and was helpless to stop it. I didn’t want her help, all I wanted was you.” His chest heaved with his emotions, barely keeping them in check so they didn’t get out of hand. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb his son.

“And now the only reason I am able to say this to you is because of the girl you seem to hate for no reason.” Jax paused and glanced at Bella. She gave him a smile of encouragement. “She’s been the only one that listened without judgement or pressure. The one who let me express exactly what I needed to and the one that made me realize how much better off I am without your selfish ass.” Jax took a deep breath and stood to his full height. “I’ve put you behind me Tara. You are so far in the rearview, you aren’t even a speck. So here’s what I suggest you do.” His eyes were still cold and narrowed in contempt for the woman before him. “You take your high and mighty attitude and shove it up your ass. Get your shit and get the fuck out of Charming. You’re not wanted or welcome. You wasted any opportunity to have any kind of relationship with anyone in this town. Trust me, word will spread. Whether it’s truth or not…” Jax trailed off leaving the threat hanging before he turned his back on the shocked doctor and started for the door. He grabbed Bella’s other hand and started to tug her into the hallway along with Opie. “Oh, if I find you near my son again,” he looked at Tara, his blue eyes icy and deadly. “They won’t find your body.” Gemma smiled in pride at her son and rose from the chair, tapping her foot as she impatiently waited for the good doctor to leave. Jax turned back to his friends then and pulled them towards the waiting room. They had a road trip to plan.


	15. Forks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and Co are heading to Forks! Who will they meet when they get there?

          Bella leaned back in the driver seat of her new truck. She knew they would be going to Washington, but she thought she would be riding bitch with Opie or her dad. She had not expected the surprise she received from her father. She smiled to herself thinking over the last couple of days.

_Flashback_

          _The two days leading up to the trip to La Push had flown by in a flurry of hospital trips to visit Abel, laundry, and time spent at the Winston household. It was a great feeling to be able to express her affection for Opie openly, though it was awkward in front of the kids at first._

_Opie had snuck up behind Bella while she was making dinner. “You know you don’t have to do that right?” Bella smiled down at the pan of Alfredo sauce she was stirring. “I know, but you know I love doing this for you and the kids. I’m taking care of y’all like you do for me.” She turned and smiled up at him. Opie gently cupped her face, stroking his thumb over her cheek. “You are amazing” he murmured before gently lowering his lips to hers. It was a sweet, slow kiss full of every bit of emotion that neither could admit out loud._

_“Hey Bella, have you seen my notebo….” Ellie’s voice broke the pair apart as she walked into the kitchen. Her mouth gaped for a moment before pulling into a smirk. Who knew a ten year old could hold such a contemptuous look? “Something you want to tell me?” Bella was fire engine read at this point and Opie couldn’t help but chuckle. Bella slapped his chest before turning to the young girl in the kitchen._

_Ellie wasn’t stupid. She may be young, but she knew when two people liked each other. It wasn’t something she saw between her parents when her mother was around unfortunately. But she had seen it in her friends’ parents, in Clay and Gemma. So of course she knew that her dad and Bella liked each other. Maybe more than liked each other._

_Bella cleared her throat nervously. “Well Ellie, ya see, we…that is…uh…” Ellie giggled. “So you finally admit it? You guys like each other and are together?” Bella glanced at Opie who was studying his daughter. “Yeah, is that ok with you?” Ellie laughed out loudly, jumping slightly and clapping her hands. “Uh you think?! Of course I’m happy for you guys. Dad, you deserve happiness. Just…try to keep the PDA to minimum ‘round me and Kenny? Somethings we just don’t need to see.” The room erupted into laughter as Ellie shuddered._

_End Flashback_

          Bella smiled at the memory and glanced in her side mirrors. She could see Chibs and Opie on either side of the truck keeping pace with her. She felt a sense a security having them there, something she never felt before. It was nice, she cherished these moments as much as she cherished every minute spent with her father and the man she only grudgingly admitted to herself she loved.

          Love was something so rare in her world up until this point. She had really only seen it in some books and through the stories she had found about Charlie’s dedication to finding her. Certainly, it never came from Renee. But she knew the definition of it. Charlie had given her hope. And now she was able to experience it for herself from her own father, a huge extended family that would literally kill for her, and from a man she never expected to find.

_Flashback_

          _Bella woke very early the morning they were to leave for Washington with a mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbling in her stomach. She was excited to meet people that knew the man she had admired for so long. Yet she was anxious about meeting the new MC. She knew the men in Charming well enough now that she was comfortable around them. But the group that was getting patched over was a whole new ball game for her. Crowds made her nervous to begin with, put her in with a bunch of rowdy bikers? It was enough for her stomach to twist into knots repeatedly._

_Bella rolled out of bed, making her way to the bathroom to prepare for the day. She could hear her dad outside preparing for their trip. There were other voices out there that she recognized as Opie and Jax and she couldn’t help but smile around the toothbrush in her mouth. Her constant companions were laughing about something and she heard them make their way to the door. She quickly finished in the bathroom and got dressed in a pair of jeans, a snug t-shirt, her riding boots, and leather jacket. She silently thanked Gemma once again for taking her shopping when she first arrived in Charming. She now had perfectly fit clothing and was happy with her appearance. When she made her way out to the living room, all three men paused in their conversation and turned to her, conspiratorial smiles on their faces. Bella raised one of her eyebrows. “Good morning. You guys want breakfast before we head out?” The men exchanged glances before Opie responded. “Nah babe, Gemma has something for us at the clubhouse. Why don’t you grab your bag and we’ll head over there?”_

_Bella nodded cautiously before walking over to grab the backpack she had packed the night before. She put the toiletry bag she had brought with her from the bathroom inside the bag and zipped it up securely. She wasn’t going to take any chances of something falling out while they were going down the highway. The image of her unmentionables spread across a random California highway passed through her mind made her chuckle lightly. “You alright there lass?” Chibs asked. Bella nodded, “Yeah just picturing my bag coming undone and my unders being spread across the highway.” Chibs laughed loudly at that. “I don’t think that will be a problem darlin’” Jax said with a smirk. Bella looked at him, curiosity peaked to the fullest now._

_Opie wrapped an arm around her as she shouldered her bag. “Let’s go babe.” She smiled up at him, nodding in agreement. “Oi, what have I told you two about that?” The couple chuckled as they made their way out the door. Bella turned to lock the door as the men walked to the driveway. When she turned towards them, she couldn’t help the gasp that left her lips. The guys were standing next to a large truck, a purple and black F150 crew cab to be exact. She could see the Harley Davidson logo on the side and on the hubcaps. “What…..what is this?” Bella asked._

_"Well ya didn’t think I would let you make the 14 hour journey on the back of one our bikes now did ya love? This is yours.” Chibs asked with a chuckle. Bella kept her gaze fixed on the beautiful truck in front of her. Slowly she made her way over to the passenger side and tried to gaze in, but the tint was too dark. “Honestly I was prepared for it. I know it’s a bit of journey, but I didn’t see any other way except to fly and I knew that wasn’t an option for y’all.” The men chuckled and Opie opened the door for her. Bella stepped on the side rail and gazed at the black leather interior on the inside. She ran her hand along the Harley logo on the seat as she took in the luxurious interior. This truck was loaded! There was a sunroof, full bench seat in the back, center console storage, CD player, and even a navigation system. Her smile grew as she turned back out of the truck and jumped on her father._

_"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!” Bella couldn’t express her gratitude enough. No one had ever given her anything like this. The tears started to fall from her eyes as the enormity of everything overwhelmed her. This man, this compassionate, loving, fiercely protective, wonderful man had taken the poor girl into his home, clothed and fed her, given her everything she needed and wanted. Bella had no idea what she had done to deserve it, but she was going to do everything in her power to show her father her appreciation. “Aye lass, it’s ok now. No need for tears. If you don’t like it, we’ll go pick you out something different.” Bella pulled away from him abruptly. “What?! NO! No dad, these are tears of happiness.” She smiled at the man before her before glancing at the other two still standing there. “Thank you, all of you. You really have no idea what this means to me. Not just the truck, but everything you guys have done. You’ve taken me in, given me a family I never thought I would have. And I swear, I will repay you some day, somehow.” Chibs took her face in his leather clad hands and kissed her forehead. “None of that now lass. You are family. There is nothing that we wouldn’t do for you.” From the corner of her, Bella saw Jax and Opie nod in agreement. “Now come on. Opie’s gonna ride to the clubhouse with you and we’ll leave from there.” Bella beamed at him before running around the truck and jumping in the driver seat, the laughter of the men following her._

_End Flashback_

           Now they were just minutes away from La Push. They had driven for the past 13 or so hours only stopping for gas and occasional bathroom/leg stretching break. They were going to stop at a diner in Forks to eat before heading to the clubhouse of the Wolf Warriors that was close to the edge of the Reservation. As the bikers pulled through the town, she could see the curious glances from the few townspeople still wandering the streets. They weren’t scared per say, just wondering about the large group of loud bikes rolling through their mostly quiet hamlet. Opie and Chibs had dropped behind the truck and Bella followed the rest of the crew into the parking lot behind a restaurant called “The In Place”. Bella chuckled at the name as she put the truck in park. She climbed out of the cab, stretching her arms above her head and fully appreciating the cracking of her back. Just the thought of how her back would feel after a full day on the back of one of those bikes made her shudder. No doubt about it, her truck was made for comfort and she appreciated it even more.

           The group made their way to the door and were quickly setup at a long table. All together there were 9 of them: Clay, Jax, Tig, Bobby, Chibs, Opie, Juice, Half-Sack, and Bella. They were to meet Lee, Donut, and Happy of the Tacoma charter in La Push. Bella looked around the small café, admiring the décor and just taking a moment to absorb the idea that this is probably a place Charlie had frequented. Her thoughts were confirmed when she glanced over towards the bar area. A gasp escaped her lips as she gazed upon a picture of Charlie holding up a string of fish with the words “In Loving Memory of the Chief” on the bottom.

           Opie looked at the girl next to him wondering what was wrong. He followed her gazed to the picture on the wall and he furrowed his brow in confusion for a moment before realization dawned on him. “Charlie” he muttered, receiving looks from both Jax and Chibs across from him before they turned and saw the picture. They both turned back to Bella who couldn’t manage to tear her gaze away. The waitress came over announcing herself to be Leah and took their drink orders. When she got to Bella, she saw the dazed look on the girl’s face. Leah glanced at the picture on the wall. “Oh, did you know the chief? He was such a good man. Searched for years for his missing daughter. Hard worker, quiet, devoted to his town. He’s definitely missed.” Bella smiled faintly. “I only met him once and can’t even remember it.” Bella shook the thoughts from her head and looked up at the waitress. “I just want a water please.” The waitress nodded and wandered off to fill their drink order.

           From behind the bar, a woman watched the group with curiosity. She had noticed the way the girl had stared at the photo of Charlie and couldn’t help the sense of familiarity about her. There was something…something there that was tickling the back of her brain. She turned and looked at the picture of Charlie and back at the girl when it suddenly dawned on her. “No way,” she whispered as the waitress came around the counter to pull the beers the men had ordered. “What’s that mom?” Sue Clearwater glanced at her daughter a faint smile on her face. “I think that’s Isabella.”

           Leah nearly dropped the glass in her hand and turned abruptly looking at the girl again. Leah had never met Renee before she took off, had been too young really, but she had seen enough pictures to notice the similarities between the two women. “Huh, well go figure. You should go talk to her mom. See if it’s really her. If it is, I know Billy and the guys would want to know and meet her.” Sue nodded her head absently as Leah lifted the heavy tray of drinks.

           Sue remained behind the bar for a few minutes, just observing the girl and the way she interacted with the group of bikers. She was comfortable, familiar with them. She wondered how long she had been with them and why this particular group was here. Oh she was familiar with The Wolf Warriors, especially since she had changed most of the current crew’s diapers many years ago. Did this crew have anything to do with them? She watched as the one sitting across from Bella rose. He placed a kiss on the girls’ forehead and made his way over to the bar. “Can ye point me to the restroom lass?” Sue shook her head from her thoughts and gazed up him. He was handsome, that was for sure. Tall, dark hair and goatee with some silver, and scars on his cheeks that begged to be traced. She cleared her throat and pointed to the right. “Round that corner, men’s on the left.” Chibs nodded at her and gave her a saucy wink. “Thank ye.”

           Leah was at the table passing out beers to the men. When she came to one of the youngest man, she couldn’t help the flirtatious smile that crossed her lips. “Thanks darlin’” Jax said with a wink. Leah just winked back. Chibs returned to the table just then. “Anytime. Now what can I get you guys to eat.” From down the table Tig asked “What you recommend sweetheart?” Leah tilted her head in thought. “Well, the burgers are good, so is the steak. But my favorite is the chicken fried steak with corn and mashed potatoes.” The men all nodded, staring at the menus a minute longer. Leah got all the orders (2 steaks, 3 burgers, and 4 chicken fried steaks) and walked over to put them in.

           Bella couldn’t help the smirk that crossed her face and kicked Jax under the table. “You just can’t help yourself can you?” Jax chuckled and gave Bella the most innocent expression he could. “I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about Bells.” Opie shook his head and draped his arm across the back of Bella’s chair. She leaned into him and sighed contently. The shock of seeing Charlie’s picture on the wall had faded a little and she enjoyed the peace that Opie’s embrace offered. He squeezed her to him and kissed the top of her head. They sat quietly as the men talked and joked around them, lost in their own thoughts.

           A throat clearing brought Bella back to the table. She turned her head and gazed at the attractive woman standing before her. She was average height, but her long dark hair and tanned skin gave her away to be Native. Her light brown eyes were almond shaped and staring at Bella with trepidation and hope. “Hi. This is going to sound….well, odd is putting it lightly.” The woman said with a gentle laugh. “I just…did you know Charlie? I saw you looking at his picture and you seemed to have recognized him.” Bella smiled softly. “Well, I didn’t really know him personally. I assume to have met him a long time ago, but I was a baby.” Sue gasped and covered her mouth. “Oh my spirit, Isabella!”

           Bella ducked her head for a moment trying to control her blush at the emotions rising in her. This woman knew Charlie. She had probably helped in her search. “Yes” she said so quietly she didn’t think anyone heard her. But apparently Sue had because the next thing she knew, she was being pulled into a tight embrace by the woman. Bella could hear the sobs coming from her and felt her own eyes well with tears as she tightened her hold. “Oh God I can’t believe it’s you! Here and grown and whole and oh God I wish Charlie was here. He would be so happy. I can’t wait to tell Billy and Sam and oh they are just going to be so happy…” The woman continued to ramble on about Charlie. Bella just enjoyed the embrace while she could.

           Sue finally pulled away and wiped her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just been such a journey these past 17 or so years. I just want you to know,” she paused, taking a big breath. “He never gave up hope. Not once. When everyone else told him to stop his search, that you were long gone and either hated him or were dead, he just looked them in their eye and told them that no you weren’t dead and he would find you.” She smiled and cupped Bella’s face. “Even after…” she trailed off for moment unsure if Bella knew about her true parentage. Bella just smiled. “I know. I found articles about his search. That’s how I found out who and where he was. And when I finally escaped they told me that he wasn’t my biological dad, but he still never gave up hope of finding me.” She turned and smiled at the man with the scars. “I did manage to find my bio dad though. And he’s been absolutely wonderful to me.” Sue nodded and glanced at him. “Thank you. I don’t know how you found her, but thank you. You have no idea what this means to me and all of Charlie’s friends.”

           Chibs nodded. “Aye. I wanted to meet the man that spent so many years searching for Bells, but I did not get any information about Bella until after he passed.” He held out his hand to the woman. “Fillip Telford, but everyone calls me Chibs.” The woman blushed as she took his hand. “Oh geeze, sorry. Sue Clearwater. I own this place. My late husband and Charlie were best friends growing up. Thank you.” Chibs raised an eyebrow. “Thank you for taking care of her. I know it’s the only thing Charlie ever really wanted.” Chibs smiled at Sue. “It’s the only thing we will ever do, I promise.”

           Sue cleared her throat and turned to Bella. “So how long will you be in town for? I know some people that would love to meet you and share stories.” Bella bit her lip glancing at Jax out of the corner of her eye. Jax stood and came to her side, laying a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be in town a few days. Have to meet up with some friends. I’m sure Bells would love to meet some of Charlie’s friends.” Leah snorted from behind her mother. “Friends? Right, you mean bikers. The Wolf Warriors huh?”

           Her slight attitude took Jax a bit by surprise. She had been friendly and flirty so far, but the mere mention of biker friends and he could see her body tense. “Well yes darlin’ they are friend and bikers. As are we.” Leah ducked her head, slightly ashamed of her outburst. “Sorry, I just....there’s some background there with one of the Old Lady’s. Nothin’ to do with bikers in general. In fact I get along with the guys better than their women.” The men at the table snorted in laughter. “Yeah, seems like the chicks are the ones that usually cause the problems.” Tig smarted from beside Opie. Clay and Opie both smacked him on the back of the head before turning back towards Bella, who just raised an eyebrow at him.

           Leah burst into laughter.  “Well, you will definitely have your hands full with some of those bitches out there. Good luck!” Leah turned towards the kitchen where the cook was calling that their food was ready. Sue hugged Bella once more giving her one of the diner’s cards and told her to give her a call tomorrow and they would meet up to talk with some of Charlie’s friends. Leah returned to pass out the food. As she laid the final plate in front of Jax, he grabbed her wrist. “Well, if you have no problem with bikers, why don’t you join me tonight? You can hang with us and ignore the other bitches.” Leah blushed and bit her lip. She knew she wanted to, because hot damn this man was smokin’ hot. Not to mention it would be an excellent way to stick it to Emily. Bitch knew Leah had a crush on Sam since they were teenagers. And after an entire summer spent flirting, she had finally worked up the courage to do something about it, but Emily swept in and slept with him after a night of too many beers on the beach. And it seemed just like that they were together and Leah was forgotten. But Emily made sure Leah never forgot who got there first. Every time she saw them together, Emily held Sam a little tighter, kissed him a little harder. It didn’t seem to matter to Emily they were cousins, closer than that really. They acted more like sisters up until that point.

           Now this really hot guy was giving her the opportunity to exact a little bit of revenge. And she wanted it, desperately. There was just one problem. “Well, I would, but I don’t even know what name to scream later tonight” she said with a smirk. Jax’s eyebrows rose to hairline while the men around him laughed raucously. “Jax Teller, at you service darlin’.” He moved his hand to grip hers and brought her knuckles to his lips. “Well, Mr. Teller, I’m off at 9, so you have an hour to eat.” He released her wrist and gave her the trademark Teller smirk. “No problem.”

  
            Leah Left the table, flustered more than she ever has been and the guys were giving Jax a hard time. Bella just smiled as her family joked and ate the amazing food. As much as she knew the guys were anticipating the patch-over and the ensuing party, she was more anxious to talk with Charlie’s friends tomorrow. She dug in to her chicken fried steak with a hunger she didn’t know she had, ready for the next day.


	16. Patch Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet the Cullens and take a peek inside the home of the Wolf Warriors.

          Edward Cullen was used to being noticed. It wasn’t an unusual thing for him, in fact he craved it. He knew he was good looking, tall with bright green eyes and copper colored hair he kept messily tousled on his head. When they had moved to this po-dunk town in the middle of the Washington forest, he expected to be bored out of his skull and to ignore the simpering bitches that he came across. And was pretty much what happened. Women fell over themselves for his attention, he ignored them for the most part (though he did manage to take one or two to his bed frequently) and life became predictable.

          His business in Forks and further out into Port Angeles was booming. There was nothing like a little meth to liven up the sleepy towns full of bored teenagers and even more bored adults. He and Rosalie had tried to get a hand down on the reservation, but that was a bust. The Wolf Warriors were the law of the land down there and had quickly squashed them. But that was ok, the family was working on a way to get through their borders and soon enough they would have even more customers.

          The day jobs helped keep their cover easily enough. Edward’s father, Carlisle, was a doctor and his mother, Esme, was an interior designer, mostly working online and travelling when needed. They weren’t involved in the day to day aspects of their drug trade, just overseers. Edward and Rosalie were the scouts and placers. They picked the spots to sell, found the dealers, and made sure they were in line. Jasper and Emmett were the muscle when needed. Most of the time, people complied with Edward and Rosalie’s requests, but upon occasion there was someone who decided they wanted a bigger cut of profits or drugs and they were dealt with quickly and efficiently by the two intimidating me. Jasper also was a computer whiz and helped make sure any trace of their business was seen as legit. Alice ran the finance end and made sure the money was laundered appropriately. All in all they had a smooth system going.

          There was only one problem, at least in the mind of his mother. Rosalie and Jasper had both settled down with spouses that helped out the family. Edward may have been the youngest at 21, but his mother wanted to see him settled and happy. She didn’t care what he did, he needed a wife, someone he could mold to care for him and the family and to give her grandchildren. She was anxious to have someone else to spoil and it seemed his siblings were waiting on the whole kid thing. Edward had no idea why his mother expected kids from him and not them, but she had been more and more persistent about it lately.

          Edward really had no desire for a spouse or children at this point in his life, especially with anyone in this town. They were nice to fuck and leave, but he was under no delusions that they wanted anything but his money and the status of being with him. So when he saw the woman stepping out of The In Place diner, he was shocked. He most certainly had never seen her before. Edward glanced around the small book store he was in and then quickly made his way to the door and exiting. The woman was standing right outside the diner, glancing up and down the street as she hugged herself. And she took absolutely no notice of him. Not even a glance. Even from across the street, he could see the small smile on her face. She was beautiful in the dim streetlights. Her hair was dark down her back in slight waves. She was slim, but not too slim that she was boney, and tiny, looked like she’d barely reach his shoulders. He imagined her fitting right in his arms, tucked into his body closely as he held her in his bed after making love to her. Edward was entranced watching her look up and down the street, taking in the small town with a smile on her face.

          He watched her a few more moments before the door of the diner opened and stream of men walked out. They were all tall, intimidating looking with a certain swagger about them. They were confident in their own skin and Edward soon figured out why. They were all wearing the same kuttes. He couldn’t make out the flashes on the front, but as one of them turned, a wiry man with black curly hair, he could make out the back of their kutte. “Sons of Anarchy” was blazed across the top and “California” across the bottom with a small “MC” patch at the end of it. There was a reaper holding an M-16 with a scythe bayonet on the end in its right hand and a ball with the anarchy “A” in the middle of it in the left.  So they were a motorcycle club. Edward snorted at the thought. He knew what these “clubs” were all about; fast bikes, hard drugs, guns, and women. He wondered what a sweet looking girl was doing with this group. She was apparently familiar with them as they all gave her a pat on the back or head when they passed her. One of them stopped and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. Edward was jealous for a moment as he watched them talk until the word “dad” drifted across the street to him. The next to exit the building were a young blond man who had his arm wrapped around the waitress from the diner. He sneered at woman who never seemed to have a decent word to say to him. He had hit on Leah one time and she had laughed so hard in his face, Edward had almost come unglued and slapped her in the middle on the diner. He made a point to avoid the place after that.

          The group stood outside, smoking and seemingly waiting on something. The woman was talking to blond, laughing at something he said when one more person exited the diner. This man was giant. Even from his place in the shadows across the street, Edward would estimate the man to be over six feet tall and at least 250 pounds. His hair was long and he had the beginnings of what Edward was sure would be an impressive lumber-jack beard that the women all seemed to love. Edward snorted at the thought of that being anywhere near attractive.

          The woman turned to the giant man and there was no mistaking the smile that graced her face. This was her man and it was evident the love they had for each other. He watched as they embraced, the man placing a hand on her face the almost encompassed the girl’s head as he bent to give her a small kiss. When he pulled away, there was a gentle smile on his face. He moved his hand from her face over her shoulders and down to rest on the small of her back as they made their way to the group and then around the building to the parking lot in the back. Edward heard the sound of a truck starting followed by the loud rumble of several bikes kicking to life. He kept his spot in the shadows as the bikes and one pick-up truck pulled on to Main Street and headed in the direction of La Push. He quickly pulled out his phone and rang Jasper. “Hey, I need to look into something. Sons of Anarchy MC, California. They’re in town and I want to know why.” Jasper agreed quickly and they hung up. Edward gazed in the direction the group had disappeared to, his finger tracing his lips. He needed information on these people so he knew the best way to extract the girl from them. He wanted her and he always got what he wanted.

\-----00000-----

          Bella was anxious to get to the Wolf Warriors clubhouse. She knew the guys were ready to get this deal done and she was just as ready as they were. As soon as they were done, she was going to talk with their president about Charlie. Sue had sat with them while they ate and explained to Bella that Sam and Charlie had been close, especially since Sam’s dad had ran off when Sam was a kid. He had looked up to Charlie as a father figure and when he was old enough had helped Charlie search for her. Bella knew she wouldn’t get a lot of answers out of him tonight but it would be nice to at least meet someone who was close to Charlie.

          She followed closely behind the group of bikers and kept glancing in the mirror to make sure her dad and Opie were still behind her. She didn’t want them to get lost on the winding, damp highways. They were in unfamiliar territory and she knew it made them all apprehensive. The road was dark and the redwoods and other foliage did not help the claustrophobic feeling of the highway. Finally there was a break in the trees as they came upon the beginnings of the residential part of the reservation. To her left and right were two neighborhoods, both looking relatively new and definitely quiet. She had to imagine there wasn’t much to do on a Friday night in this little community. They continued a bit further to a fenced drive. There were two men at the gate, both tall, with long dark hair, and wearing kuttes with t-shirts and jeans. She couldn’t tell any details of their faces but had to guess they would be handsome.

          Clay pulled up to three men that were standing in front of the large, two story building to the right. It wasn’t a fancy building, plain grey in color, a couple of windows on the second floor indicating there were bedrooms up there, a large double door, and narrow horizontal windows on the first floor. A growling wolf’s head was painted on the doors with the words “Wolf” painted above and “Warriors” painted below. The men all parked and killed their bikes, Bella parked by Half-Sack’s distinct white bike at the end of the row they had made. Before she had the chance, her door was opened by Opie. She smiled as he helped her down.

          “Stay over here with Sack and Leah for a minute. We’ve got to talk with Lee and see where everything is at before we go in” Opie told her. Bella nodded at the tall man and pulled his head down to give him a short kiss. _Damn it I need to have just one more growth spurt._ He smiled when he pulled away and left her to meet with the rest of the guys. She turned her head to see Leah give Jax a smile and wink as she handed him back the spare helmet before she walked towards Sack. Jax shook his head with a smile and stored the helmet in his side saddle then made his way to the three men on the side.

          Bella made her way over to Half-Sack and leaned on his bike next to him. They were silent, just taking in the peace of the evening. It was kind of surreal to the two of them, the lack of noise. Though Charming was a small town, there was always some kind of noise at night whether it was dogs barking or cars on the street. Up here though, there was only the sound of a gentle breeze blowing through the trees and a faint bass beat from the clubhouse. The peace was interrupted by the sound of footfalls on gravel. The two men who had opened the gate had shut and locked it before walking up to Bella and Sack.

          “Hey, wasn’t expecting them to bring a pretty lady with them” the one on the left said. To her left, Bella heard a snort from Leah. She met the girl’s eyes for a moment before Leah gave her a small smile and walked over to Bella’s truck to inspect it. Bella smiled and shook her head and turned back to the man. In the light from the poles around the yard, she could see he was indeed handsome with smiling, dark eyes and a mischievous smirk on his face. He ran in fingers through his hair, pulling it back from his face before sticking his hand in her direction. “Jared Cameron, VP” She shook his hand with a shy smile. “Bella Telford.” The other man with him cleared his throat. “Embry Call.” His voice was quieter than Jared’s, shyer it seemed. His face had a smile on it but she could tell he was holding in secrets as though he was afraid of them.

          Both men turned to Half-Sack and they began talking bikes. Bella tuned them out and let her eyes wander around the little area. She smiled softly at the similarities between the clubs. Straight in front of the gate was a three-bay garage painted the same grey as the clubhouse. All the bays were closed at this hour but she imagined if they were open, they would look pretty much the same as Teller/Morrow. There was a lot to the left of the gate that held a few cars in various stages of disrepair. Seemed like they did body work as well as mechanical. On the opposite side of clubhouse from where they parked was a short line of bikes, all black with grey accents. She figured those belonged to the members of the Wolf Warriors. She watched the guys wander down the line of the Sons’ bikes, Sack telling them about the modifications he had helped make to them for each member.

          It was peaceful here, Bella could see the appeal of the area. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, enjoying the breeze. There was faint sea salt smell coming through the trees and it made her smile. She’d never been to the ocean and wondered if she could convince Opie to take her down there tomorrow. She was so lost in the peace of the evening she didn’t hear the boots crunching on the gravel approaching her. It was Opie’s touch on her arm that startled her back to the present.

          He chuckled lightly when Bella jumped at his touch. He often forgot how jumpy she could be and felt bad for making her scared. “Sorry ‘bout that.” Bella shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Was just off in la-la-land.” She chuckled at him. “We are going to head in and meet with the Warriors. Let them know the good and bad of patching-over. Then we’ll let them vote. Don’t see a problem with it going through though” Opie said. Bella nodded, thankful for the talk they had before they left Charming about full-disclosure. “So I get to hang-out here some more?” She asked. Opie shook his head. “No, they have a bar area inside. You know the business and I’ve cleared it with Clay.” He paused for a moment, debating how to say the next part. “Bells, I want you to understand though. Not a word of what is said inside is to be repeated to anyone. Not to anyone already in there, not to the prospect, not to Gemma. No one.” Opie’s eyes were dark with warning.

          Bella nodded. “Of course, Ope. Not a word.” Opie studied her for a moment before nodding his head. He trusted her, Chibs and Jax trusted her, and the rest were getting there. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her to the door. She was shocked again at the similarities between the Warriors clubhouse and the one back in Charming. There was a large open space directly in front of her, a black leather sectional sofa to the left facing a coffee table and huge flat screen mounted on the wall. There were various gaming systems and a dvd player on a table below it. Straight ahead was a long table surrounded by chairs. The wood was thick and dark red, similar to their table but without the Reaper in the middle. The chairs were the same red wood and all cushioned in dark gray leather.

          To the right of the entryway was an L-shaped bar stocked with plenty of liquor and beer. There were a few stools around the counter, all covered with shiny black leather. Just beyond the bar was a staircase Bella assumed lead to the bedrooms upstairs. Through a door on the wall across from the bar, she could see a stove and fridge in what she assumed was a kitchen. Bella smiled at the familiarity of the place and made her way to the bar and propped herself on one of the stools.

          The Warriors gathered around the table, each taking their designated seat. While she didn’t know their names, she could place the ranked members easily. She knew Sam was the president and he sat at the head of the table and Jared was to his left. There were two men sitting by him, one looking suspiciously at the Sons standing around them and the other looking around with a goofy smile his face. Across from Jared was a stern looking man with a serious expression on his face, similar to the one Tig would get right before they went on a run. _Sergeant at Arms for sure._ She thought. Next to him was Embry.

          The Sons had taken position around the table, placing themselves much as they did at their own table. Clay stood tall and proud, hands clasped behind his back as he took in the table. His voice rang through the room as silence descended quickly. “I know you are nervous. I know things are about to get crazy around here.” He paused a moment and took in the men around the table. “You’re young, you have families to think of. I know the Reaper can be intimidating and it’s not going to be easy, but the rewards are great. You will have a network, friends and family ready to do anything to help those who need it. The money ain’t bad either.” Clay paused as the Sons around him chuckled and then turned to Jax who reached on the side table behind him, pulling a black leather vest and plopping it on the table, face down. The Reaper stared up at the men around the table who looked on with varying degrees of trepidation and anticipation on their faces.

          “Sons of Anarchy,” Clay pointed at the flash above the Reaper and then to the one below. “La Push, Washington Charter.” The white behind “Washington” was so bright. It was odd seeing it that color. Bella was used to seeing it faded, dingy from the road and general wear. “The choice is yours alone, but I know you will make the right one. Congratulations boys.” Clay looked each one of them in the eye before nodding to the rest of his crew. Lead by Clay, they made their way outside, Bella following in their wake. She looked around the lot for moment before making her way over to Leah. The guys were standing by their bikes, smoking and in deep conversation and she didn’t want to interrupt them.

          She smiled at the tall woman who was leaning on Bella’s truck. Leah had been very entertaining at the diner and she held her own against Jax. She knew that the initial flirtation could lead to more and that was her hope. If Leah was anything like her mother seemed to be, she would make a great addition to the SAMCRO family. “They doing their business?” Leah asked.

          Bella nodded her head before taking a spot next to Leah against the truck. “Yeah, shouldn’t be too long.” Leah nodded. Bella was thankful that Leah seemed to be familiar enough with the inner workings of the Warriors that she didn’t have to chance explaining anything that could get her in trouble. She knew for sure though that Leah didn’t know about the guns and Bella had no intentions of letting her in on them.

          They stood there quietly for a few minutes, reveling in the tranquility before the chaos they both knew was to come. There certainly was no party quite like an MC party. Even as they stood there, cars began to pull up to the gates, waiting for entry to what was sure to be the party of the year. Bella studied each car carefully as the people began to exit them and congregate. They were mostly female, all with little to no clothing on in the cool evening air. The snort from Leah drew her attention to one cluster of girls that Leah was staring at coldly. In the middle of the group was a relatively short woman. She couldn’t have been that much taller than Bella herself. Her long dark hair was pulled half back, her eyes were wide set and she seemed to have a smirk on her face. The women around her seemed to be vying for her attention and were practically simpering at her every word.

          “Ah the queen has arrived. Surprised she didn’t have her ass already in there right in Sam’s ear.” Bella turned her eyes to Leah and raised an eyebrow. “Remember the bitch I was talking about at the diner?” Leah asked. At Bella’s nod, she continued. “Yeah that’s her. She thinks _she_ runs the MC, that all the decisions they make are hers. She’s manipulative, overbearing, and a down right bitch.” Leah paused and shook her head. “Damn I sound like a bitter bitch.” She turned her back to the gathering crowd outside of the gate and face Bella. “She’s my cousin, was more like a sister growing up. We did everything together and I knew every damn trick in her book. And I couldn’t even see the way she moved in on Sam so quickly. That should tell you how devious she is. Please, watch your back around her. Watch your boys too. She’ll get one of those bitches that follow her around to get to them.”

          Bella nodded and turned her eyes back to the group. Emily seemed to have finally noticed them standing inside the gate. Her eyes were narrowed as she studied them. Just then the men broke up their mini meeting and Opie and Jax made their way over. Opie threw his arm around Bella’s shoulder and pulled her close while Jax stood in front of Leah, hands tucked in the pockets of his vest.

          “That her?” Jax asked Leah, who merely nodded in response. Jax gave her that classic, drop-your-panties-now smirk before grabbing her waist and pulling her to his chest. He cupped one side of her face and brought his lips down to meet hers in what was supposed to be a simple kiss. Leah had other ideas though and brought her arms up around his neck and deepened the kiss, pulling him tighter against her. They stood like that for a moment and all Bella and Opie could do was look on, not really surprised. Bella turned her eyes up to Opie, who only raised an eyebrow at her and giving her a kiss on the forehead. She could see from the corner of her eye that Emily was still staring at them, eyes narrowed into slits so small, her irises were barely visible. Her fists were clinched at her side and body was tense. _Serves her right_ Bella thought.

          The moment was broken when the front doors of the clubhouse were opened and Sam stepped out, beckoning Clay. They met and spoke briefly before Clay slapped him on the shoulder and waved the rest of the club over. With one last squeeze to Bella, Opie walked over. Jax broke away from Leah and patted Bella’s shoulder before making his way to Clay. They all walked inside and shut the doors. Bella looked at Leah and burst into laughter at the dazed look on the older woman’s face. “Oh fuck off” Leah said. “If you knew how that man kissed…” she trailed off for a moment before shaking her head. Bella stopped laughing and gagged for a moment in jest. “Ugh, that’s…ick he’s like my brother!” Leah just raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, he sure as hell ain’t mine!”

They burst into laughter just as the doors of the clubhouse burst open again, this time to cheers from the men inside. Bella and Leah exchanged large smiles and went to congratulate them. Bella’s nerves were tense now as she narrowed the space between them. She would be able to talk to Sam now, if only for a moment to introduce herself and let him know she wanted to talk to the man that probably knew Charlie best.


	17. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party and some bed time antics ;-)

          The inside of the clubhouse was packed. After Jared had opened the gate, the yard had been flooded with cars. Leah and Bella had quickly made their way inside and met their respective men there. Bella was intent on not letting Opie out of her sights. She trusted the women around this strange clubhouse about as far as she could throw her father’s bike. Currently Opie was sitting on a barstool, sipping on a beer with Bella between his legs. Jax was to his right, Leah tucked into his side and Chibs to his left with Bobby and Half-Sack. Chibs was regaling them with a tale of running from a cop in his youth in Dublin that had all of them in stitches. There was raucous laughter throughout the room as both charters partied. The women were wandering around, handing out beers and making passes at the SAMCRO members.

          Bella watched as one particularly shrill sounding blond made her way to Juice’s lap, another brunette was grinding on Tig’s. Several girls seemed to have claimed La Push’s Sergeant at Arms and he didn’t seem the least bit bothered. The girl behind the bar nudged Bella’s elbow and handed her a fresh beer. She was one of the few white girls in the room and was extremely efficient behind the bar. “You’re out sweetheart.” Bella glanced down at the bottle in her hand and smiled in shock. “Well shit, thanks ummm…” she trailed off unsure what the girl’s name was. “Cherry” the woman by the bar responded with a large smile. Bella nodded. “Thanks Cherry!”

          Bella turned back to peruse the clubhouse. Someone had setup a stripper pole in the far corner and the men were slowly congregating around as the blonde that was on Juice earlier began her routine. _No surprise she’s proficient on the pole._ One man, the one that had been sitting next to the La Push VP, had stayed at the high table set up on the far wall of the clubhouse. He was handsome, all these Quileute men seemed to be, but had a bit of a baby face. He glanced up and locked eyes with Bella. She studied his bright brown eyes for a moment before turning her gaze back around the bar. While they had a pleasant enough conversation earlier, there was something about him that stare that made her feel a bit uneasy. But the man kept his eyes on Bella, roving them over her body. He definitely liked what he saw, but not the man behind her with his hand possessively resting on her hip. Maybe he could do something about that.

          Bella was really looking for Sam so she could get a moment with him. She finally found him in a corner talking with Lee and Clay. She waited until they were done, just enjoying the feeling of Opie’s fingers tracing patterns on her skin, just above the waistband of her jeans. It sent shivers up and down her spine and she leaned further into his body, hoping her father wouldn’t notice. She felt Opie lean down and press his lips to her neck, eliciting a small moan from her. If it was one thing Bella couldn’t resist, it was the way this man made her feel. It was intoxicating. Opie chuckled lightly at her response and wondered how he could make her do that again. He continued his ministrations, making his way to nibble her earlobe. Bella was lost for a moment, the room disappearing around her as she just enjoyed the sensations.

          Loud booming laughter sounded from the corner the presidents were in breaking Bella from her haze. Clay and Lee slapped Sam on the back and made their way to the bar. Two women immediately flocked to them and Bella had to turn her head. Yeah she knew what happened on the run, stayed on the run, but she didn’t have to like it. Bella looked up to and respected Gemma and felt uneasy about seeing Clay take advantage of the “road pussy”. Sam was still in the corner, leaning against the tall table there, staring at the beer in front him. This was her chance. “Ope, I’m going to talk to Sam now” she turned in his arms to tell him. Opie stared at her a moment before kissing her lips and nodding. She broke away from his arms and walked cautiously to Sam, making sure no one was paying attention. She didn’t want anyone interrupting them just now.

          “Hi.” Bella’s voice was low, but not as timid as she expected it to be. Sam’s head snapped up as he took in the woman before him. He had no idea why SAMCRO had brought the girl along, but that really wasn’t his business. She was beautiful with long brown and deep brown eyes that were dancing with curiosity. “Look hon, while I appreciate the thought, it’s not gonna happen tonight. My old lady is here, we don’t do that in house.” Bella’s eyes widened as she realized what he was thinking. Then she burst into laughter. “Oh my god….you…me…ACK no! No!” She laughed a few more moments while Sam just watched with raised eyebrows. He wasn’t an egotistical bastard but knew he was good looking enough. No need for such a strong reaction. Bella eventually caught her breath and wiped the mirth from her eyes.

          “Oh wow, thanks for that laugh Sam. I really needed it.” She took a big breath and smiled at him. “No, I wanted to introduce myself and maybe talk to you for a minute.” Sam looked at her warily for moment and nodded to the stool across the table in front of him. Bella sat and heaved another breath. “My name is Bella Telford, formerly Isabella Marie Higganbotham.” She paused and let that information sink in.

          Sam stared at the woman in front him, processing the information in an instant. His eyes widened to the size of saucers before he lurched from his seat and around the table. He pulled Bella off the stool and looked her up and down for a moment before drawing her into his arms. He held her tight and Bella could hear him whispering into her hair. Over and over she heard “No fucking way, Jesus, no way, oh god Charlie you see this?” She wrapped her arms around the man and held the closest piece of Charlie she could get tight.

          Sam eventually let her go, cupping her face in his hands. “You best not be fuckin’ with me. You’re really Bella? Really here?” Bella gave a watery chuckle, the intensity of the moment getting to her. “Yeah, I’m Bella. I was hoping I could talk to you about Charlie.” She bit her lip as he continued to stare at her. “It…it doesn’t have to be tonight or even tomorrow. Just…before we leave, I want to learn about him, what he was like, how he lived.” Sam shook his head, clearing it of the fog that seemed to have settled in with the shock of see her. He pulled her back to her seat and resumed his.

          “How in the hell did you wind up here? I mean what are the odds that you are in my clubhouse with a completely different club?” Sam asked her. Bella laughed at that. “Well, it’s kind of an interesting story.” She paused as a presence made itself known next to her. She looked up and smiled at her father. “You left yer beer, lass. Figured ye would need it.” Bella took the beer from his hand and turned back to Sam, bolstered by her father’s company at the table.

          So she began her story, glossing over the horrendous details of life with Renee. She told of her escape from the apartment of Phoenix and getting to the police station. Chibs filled in the blanks of when he found out about her and going to get her. Then Bella told about finding out about Charlie not being her father and settling into Charming with her new found father and their MC family. It was a long story, but Sam absorbed every word, keeping his face as neutral as he could.

          Sam was still in shock over the fact the girl he had witnessed Charlie breakdown over was in front of him. She was beautiful, charming, and everything that he knew Charlie wanted her to be. As Sam listened to her story, he knew she had been through hell, but she seemed so much stronger for it. When she spoke of her new family, he realized that she loved them and they loved her in return. He was so happy to know that she was safe now and would be cared for.

          Once finished with her tale, Bella sat back and chugged the rest of her beer. She was never more thankful that Chibs was there than at that moment. His presence was exactly what she needed to get through the story. “Damn, just…” Sam shook his head for a minute, still staring at Bella. “I just can’t believe after all these years, you’re really here.” Bella couldn’t help the smile on her face. “Well, I can’t really complain now. I’ve got a huge family that loves and protects me. And it just got bigger!” Bella glanced around the room, seeing everyone enjoying themselves. “Look, I know this is a big night for all of you. I just wanted to let you know who I was and to maybe setup some time to talk to you and maybe some of Charlie’s friends. I don’t want to keep you from your fun.” She winked at the man in front of her who just chuckled, looking down at the table.

          “Sammy, why are you hiding over here?” A sharp whiny voice interrupted their conversation. Bella turned to the sound and took in the short woman she saw earlier in the evening outside the gates. Emily. Sam sighed deeply and subtly rolled his eyes. Bella had to cover her mouth to hide the giggles at that. _So he’s not as happy as it seems._ “Emily. Come meet someone.” Bella squirmed uncomfortably. She really didn’t want to meet the woman, but sucked it up and turned to face her, a tight smile on her face. “Hi, I’m Bella.” She said, sticking her hand out. Emily looked at her, slowly taking in her form before glaring at her hand and turning to Sam. “Sammy, I’m tired. I think it’s time for us to go.” Emily plastered herself to Sam’s arm, rubbing it up and down in an attempt to get him to leave with her.

          Sam just stared at her wide eyed. “Emily please. Do you not understand who this is? It’s Bella, Charlie’s Bella.” Emily stopped her rubbing and immediately stiffened. A fake smile appeared on her face as she turned back to face Bella. “Oh! That Bella. Sorry, I’m sure you can understand I can be a little cautious around other women. They all seem to want that President patch.” Emily was positively simpering now and her voice was absolutely grating. She had reattached herself to Sam’s arm and he seemed to be struggling to shake her off. “But welcome to La Push! I know some people that will be very happy to meet you finally.” The enthusiasm and sweetness was as fake as it came and didn’t faze Bella at all. She knew better.

          Chibs was just staring at the obvious signs of discomfort coming from Sam. He did feel bad for the poor guy. This girl had apparently worked some kind of spell on him and Sam was powerless against it. Chibs glanced at his companions still at the bar, subtly signaling Jax and Opie to join them. “Sam, we’ve had a bit of a long day. I know these ol’ bones are craving the comfort of a warm bed. Could ye show us where we could stay?”

          The gratitude for the out was obvious on Sam’s face as he stood and extracted himself from Emily’s clinging embrace. “Of course! Let me make sure everything is ready, I’ll be back in just a minute.” With a nod from Chibs, Sam took off up the staircase behind him. Emily glared at Leah, who was standing very close to Jax, before huffing and walking away to talk with one of the other girls. Leah caught Bella’s eye and they both chuckled at the childish response.

          Bella’s eyes wandered around the room again before stopping on a pleasantly surprising scene. Half-Sack was leaning against the bar, beer in his hands, talking softly with the pretty bartender who was obviously enjoying the usually quiet boy’s attention. They exchanged subtle smiles and touches. It was fascinating to watch. As Bella continued perusing the bar, her eyes landed on the SAMCRO president. She could see him eyeing the same scene, though there was something not quite right about the way he was looking. Clay’s eyes were scheming, like he was figuring a way to break up the interaction.

          Laughter broke Bella from her thoughts and she turned her gaze to the rest of the clubhouse. Juice, Happy (whom Bella hadn’t really met yet but was unsure of, the snake tattoo on his head was a bit off putting to her), and Tig were face deep in women on the couch, the rest were enjoying the show that was still going on at the stripper pole. Bella’s face flushed bright red though when she saw the woman on the pole was now completely nude. That was one aspect of this life that she was still adjusting to. Sure she had seen naked people before, but it seemed almost commonplace around the clubhouse, especially during parties.

          “You ready to turn in?” Opie’s voice behind her sent chills down her spine. He was close, almost too close but not at all in an unpleasant way. Bella turned and smiled at him, nodding silently. Sam had returned and informed them that their rooms were ready. Turning his back not so subtly to Emily, Sam led them up the stairs. The dimly lit hallway showed seven doors, three on each side and one at the end. “Pick any one you like, we don’t have reserved rooms. Bathroom is at the end there.” Jax grabbed Leah’s hand, pulling her giggling down the hall to the last room on the left. Bella watched Sam’s brows furrow in confusion before raising in realization. She felt for him, but he made his choice with Emily and had to live with it.

          “Thank ye Sam, we greatly appreciate it.” Chibs told the younger man. Sam nodded and made his way back down the stairs, his shoulders obviously drooped in defeat. Chibs then turned to the young couple before him. He knew they would be staying together and he couldn’t fight that. Though he had only had his daughter in his life a short time, he was in no way comfortable with the thought of her being with a man. “I trust ya, Opie. That’s my little girl. Remember that.” He said, pointing his finger first at Opie, then at Bella. Opie stood tall, his height and intimidating stature belying the gentle hold he had on Bella’s hand.

          Bella’s face turned bright red and she looked down unable to meet her father’s gaze. She had no idea what to expect from this night, but she knew she wasn’t ready for _that_. Spending a night in Opie’s embrace was more than enough for her. “Goodnight lass” Chibs said as he embraced his daughter before kissing her forehead. Opie and Bella stood there for a moment watching him take the first bedroom on the right. Bella kept her eyes on the floor, her hands suddenly feeling clammy. She went to pull the one holding Opie’s from his grasp but he tightened his grip. Gently, he pulled her down the hall the last room on the right. They entered to see a very basic room. A queen size bed dominated the far wall next to a window covered in dark curtains. There was a small dresser to the right. The hardwood floor was covered with a soft, dark rug.

          Opie removed his kutte laying it reverently on the dresser and sat on the bed letting out a small groan. The ride had been long and especially tense for him as he was keeping his eyes on Bella the entire time. He wished Clay had gone with his original plan of breaking it up in to two days, but the president had wanted to press on. Now they were all paying for it. He removed his boots and gazed at the woman before him. This woman had wormed her way into his heart in such a subtle way, he hadn’t realized it until the night she had stayed at his home to keep his children. He loved her, loved everything about her. She was everything he had wanted Donna to be and now she was his.

          Bella for her part could only stand there awkwardly. Her eyes were taking everything about the room in while avoiding looking at Opie sitting on the bed. The bed they would both be on eventually. Her bottom lip was firmly planted in between her teeth, her bite almost strong enough to draw blood. Her left hand was draped across her body, clenching onto her right arm. Finally she stopped her perusal of the bedroom and her eyes landed on Opie. He gave her a half smile and raised his hand to her. Taking a deep breath, she reached out to him, taking his hand and letting him pull her between his legs.

          “Ya know, we talked about this before. I told you I would go at your pace.” Opie’s voice was low and rough, sincere in a way that was familiar to Bella. He had never lied to her and for that she was grateful. Bella nodded her head and studied his face. “I know. It’s not like I don’t want to because I do, I really do! I just…” Bella paused and tried desperately to get her rattled brain to function and get the words out. “I can’t. Not yet. There’s so much I still need to deal with about my life with Renee. And I don’t want to disappoint you.” She sighed and looked down at the floor. “I know how you guys work. I know that my dad has gone without for a long time because he’s been caring for me and you have too and I just don’t want to disappoint you and I just…” Her words were jumbled and she knew she wasn’t making any sense. But her brain was going ninety to nothing and everything was mess.

          Opie smiled at the innocent girl. He grabbed her other hand, pulling her closer. His hand cupped her face, bringing her eyes back to his. “Hey, stop that ok. I don’t care about any of that. Hell, I’ve been without for much longer. I was married remember?” Bella chuckled lightly at that. “You are in no way a disappointment to me. You are exactly the opposite.” His eyes flickered over her face, before landing back on her eyes. “I never thought I would find someone like you. You have no idea how much you have saved me from myself. Before you came into my life, I was heading down a path that would have eventually lead to my own destruction. Everyone saw it, but they had no idea what I needed. Hell, I had no idea. And then you show up all wide eyed and innocent and so damn cute and you wanted to talk with me, get to know me. I would never have the relationship I do with my kids or my club. You have listened to me when I needed to bitch and moan, you love my kids and treat them well. You’re beautiful Bella, so damn beautiful.” He stroked her face gently. “I know where my heart is. It’s right here.” He took his right hand and placed it on her chest. “No matter what Bella, you have it.”

          Bella had tears in her eyes and nodded at him. She was honestly speechless. Nobody had ever spoken to her like that before and it was overwhelming. She placed her hand on Opie’s chest in the same place he had hers. “And mine is yours” she whispered. He smiled at her as he pulled her face closer to his. Their lips met in what was fast becoming a familiar dance. Bella’s hands glided up his chest to rest on the back of his neck. It was heady, the way this man made her feel. Their lips moved in sync, only breaking when the need for oxygen became imperative. Slowly, Bella pulled back to study his face. They both smiled before returning to the kiss.

          Opie’s hands wandered her back before resting on her thighs, pulling her up and settling her on his lap. He groaned at the feel of her there, the heat between her legs threatening to set them on fire. She pressed herself to him, completely unaware of the affect she was having on him. Her breasts pressed against his chest, nipples hard against him as she ran her hands up and through his hair. He pulled his lips away from hers and began trailing them across her jaw to her ear and down her neck, stopping for a moment to nibble at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Bella panted, uncontrollable whimpers escaping her mouth. She felt beautiful in his arms, wanted and desired. She wanted this feeling to last more than this moment. And he made her feel that on a daily basis. She knew she loved this man, no matter how quickly it seemed to happen.

          Opie stood with Bella in his arms and laid her on the bed. He quickly followed, laying over her but keeping his weight from crushing her. His fingers stroked her face as he studied her. “So perfect.” His voice was a husky whisper full of need. She smiled at him before pulling his face down to her again. They kissed slowly, using the action to express the feeling that neither one could admit out loud. Bella’s hands found their way to his waist and under his shirt, pulling it up a little bit. The feel of her small hands on his bare skin gave him pleasant shivers and he unconsciously rubbed himself against her core. He broke the kiss, sitting up a little bit to remove his shirt. Bella’s eyes widened a little bit at the sight of the man before her. Her hands came up and traced the fine smattering of hair on his lower stomach, making her way up across the reaper in the middle and to the words across his collarbone. “The center cannot hold. Anarchy is the only hope.” She smiled in admiration before sitting up with him to kiss his chest. Opie put his hands on her back, bunching her shirt together. Bella pulled her hands from his body and grabbed the bottom of her shirt. Never breaking eye contact, she pulled the material up and over head, tossing it haphazardly to floor. Then she reached behind her back, expertly snapping her bar clasp and slipping the straps down her shoulders.

          It was Opie’s turn to stare in awe. Her breasts were not huge, but were perky. They were tipped with hard, perfectly pink nipples that begged to be kissed. So he did. Her hands grasped at the back of his head as he lavished attention on them. Once again she was in new territory and every new sensation was overwhelming to her. She pulled his face back up to hers, meeting his lips with a new fervor. Their bodies pressed together again and she found the feeling of his bare skin against her own to be incredibly addictive. Her hands wandered his back down to his waist grasping on to his loops, pulling him closer to her body. Opie paused his kisses and pulled back looking into her eyes. “We better stop or I may not be able too” he said. Bella studied his face and could see the desire in his eyes. It was amazing to her that she could do this to him. He _actually_ desired her, wanted her in a way that she had never known she would ever desire. After a moment, she nodded in agreeance.

          Opie reluctantly pulled his body away from her, laying on his side facing her. His chest heaved slightly as he tried to calm his body. The world came back to them as now the gentle thrumming of the music from the party below invaded their room. Bella faced him and ran her fingers across his face. “Thank you” she whispered. Opie raised an eyebrow in confusion. “For what?” His voice was low and husky with fading desire. “For understanding.” Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, her eyes unwilling to meet his. Opie chuckled deeply and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close to pillow her head on his shoulder. “It’s nothin’ darlin’. I would do anything for you. Remember that.” Bella smiled into his shoulder, content in his embrace. Her eyes closed and her breaths became even as she drifted into a peaceful slumber.


	18. Story Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella meets Billy Black and learns more about Charlie

 

          The early morning light crept through the curtains covering the window next to the bed. Bella stirred slightly, thankful that the light wasn’t directly in her eyes. She lifted her head from its resting place on Opie’s chest and stared at him. These peaceful moments were what she craved, just quiet time where she didn’t have to think of the past and the uncertain present and future. She was content in what observing the man’s relaxed face and the feel of his bare skin pressing against her own.

          Smiling, Bella rose from bed and went to her bag. She grabbed her clothes for the day and pressed them against her torso so she could make her way to the bathroom. Quietly, she opened the door and made sure no one was about before rushing through the bathroom door. She was amazed how clean it was but figured these guys didn’t use it nearly as often as SAMCRO used theirs. She showered quickly and got dressed. As she brushed her teeth and hair, Bella gazed into the mirror. Though she knew no one was really up yet, she was anxious to get the day started and talk with more people.

          Bella walked out the bathroom and tiptoed to the room she and Opie were in. Just as she went to open the door, another was opening down the hall, the one across from her father’s. Bella glanced up in time to see Clay emerge, heading straight down the stairs by the room. The door was left open and Bella was more shocked than she should have been when the bartender from last night exited the room. Cherry turned towards the bathroom and stopped for a moment seeing Bella there. She smiled timidly and made her way into the bathroom with no words. Bella entered her room, shaking her head.

          Opie woke up the moment the door shut when Bella left. He laid there, one hand behind his head, the other resting across his stomach. His thoughts were on the night before and everything that had and had not happened. He had been honest with her, it didn’t matter what they did and didn’t do. They had gone further than he had expected last night and he couldn’t wait for Bella to be comfortable with more. Sure he wanted more. If anything, he was chomping at the bit for it. Blue balls really sucked. But he knew that when they did “go all the way” (oh my god when did he travel back to high school??), it would be more than worth it. His thoughts were interrupted when Bella returned to the room.

          He smiled at her, but it broke a moment later when he saw the look of concern on her face. “Hey,” he said, voice still rough with sleep. Bella looked up and smiled faintly at him. “Hey” she replied. “Everything ok?” He was nervous now. What had her looking that way? Was she second guessing their relationship after last night? He sure as hell hoped not because he wasn’t.

          Bella nodded at him. “Yeah, I’m fine it’s just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to word her thoughts. Opie sat up on and moved over to the edge of the bed. He held his hand out to her. “Hey, com’re.” Bella shuffled over to him and he grabbed her hand, making the clothes in her grasp fall to the floor. “I just saw Clay leaving a room at the end of the hall. Cherry, the bartender, came out after him.” She kept her head down for moment, sighing deeply. “I know there are rules. What happens on a run stays on the run.” She gathered her courage and looked at Opie. “I don’t think I can deal with that, not when it comes to you. I like and greatly respect Gemma. She’s a strong woman who loves her family and I don’t like seeing her done wrong, no matter the rules.”

          Opie reached up and cupped her face. “I know Bella. It’s part of this Life and something that unfortunately a lot of the guys have gotten used to.” It was his turn to sigh. “I can’t lie and say I have never done anything like that. It was different with Donna. She didn’t care when I was on the road, I don’t think she really understood what would go on. She had absolutely no desire to learn anything about the club or what the rules were.” His hands moved down to grasp hers again. “But I can tell you this Bells.” His bright brown eyes locked with her own showing the absolute truth of his coming statement. “I will in _no way_ do that you. You are everything I have ever wanted and needed. I don’t want anyone else, whether I am here or I am on the road. You are it for me.”

          Bella’s smile was bright as she took in his words. Sure they could’ve just been words to appease her, but the way he said them, his eyes unwavering, his voice strong and confident, made her truly believe them. “And I am yours.” She replied. He smiled brilliantly at her before leaning forward to capture her lips. The kiss was short and sweet but it spoke of the trust between them and that was all the reassurance she needed.

          Bella made her way downstairs while Opie got ready for the day. There were a few people about, but more mess than anything. Beer bottles were strung out across the tables, bodies were draped over couches and chairs, both fully and partially clothed. The smell of coffee began to drift through from the kitchen and it drew Bella in like a magnet. Sam was standing there, new kutte in place, fiddling with the stove. “Morning,” Bella said. Sam jumped, dropping the skillet in his hand. Bella couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her lips. “Morning Bella. Sleep well?” She nodded at him and bent to pick up the pan. “Yes, we did. Thank you again for the room. Y’all have some really comfy beds.”

          Sam chuckled lowly. “Well, they don’t get a ton of use so they’re still relatively new. You are quite welcome, any time you are up here, just say the word.” Bella beamed at that, especially at the thought of returning. “So, breakfast?” she asked. Sam nodded sheepishly. “I don’t know how to cook much, but I can do up some pancakes if you would like. Should be easy.” Sam smiled at her. “Sounds good Bella. I brought in some pancake mix. Figured it was the least I could do for you guys coming all the way up here.”

          “Not really necessary man. We’re happy to be here.” Sam and Bella turned to door at the sound of Opie’s voice. Sam and Opie exchanged nods as Bella wrapped her arms around her Old Man’s middle. “Did I hear something about pancakes?” Opie looked down at Bella raising his eyebrow.

          Bella chuckled and smiled at him. Of course his mind was on food. Her man was a garbage disposal. She figured he had to be with his height and build. And she didn’t mind. She got to try out new recipes on him and most of the time it was well received. The boys made idle chatter for a few while the rest of the clubhouse woke up and Bella began the pancakes.

          Sam watched his men, new brothers and the ones he’d known all his life, mingle as pancakes and coffee were consumed. He couldn’t help but smile a bit, hope filling him. This had been the right move, he knew it now. His brotherhood had grown and now he could look forward to the future. He paused though when his ayes wandered over to Jax and Leah. He didn’t know what was going on with them, but couldn’t blame them. Leah was a beautiful woman. Sam knew she had feelings for him before Emily came along, but for some reason, he chose Emily. Maybe it was because she was more forward or more experienced. But looking back, he realized what a mistake he had made. And what could he do about it now? Sure he could break up with her, but Emily knew all their dealings, especially the one they just made with the Sons. It was too dangerous to turn on her now. She had her moments, but they were getting fewer and farer between. Sam’s eyes landed on the door that just opened revealing Emily and one of her little disciples. _Is this really the future I want?_

          Bella smiled at the members of SAMCRO as they devoured their breakfast. Opie was next to her, his left hand resting on her leg. It made her blush at first but eventually she accepted it. She’d have to get used to the little shows of affection she knew would come with being with him. She glanced up when the door opened and couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips. Emily had absolutely rubbed her the wrong way last night and the morning didn’t bring any new feelings of charity towards the woman. Just the few interactions Bella witnessed between Emily and Sam were uncomfortable and Bella knew he felt the same. She just couldn’t understand why Sam stayed with the devious woman.

          Emily approached Sam and tried to touch him. Bella smirked to herself when Sam pulled away and made his way over to her and Opie. Emily remained where she was, arms crossed and silently fuming at the brush off. “So,” he said when he arrived at the table, “I know you’re anxious to learn about Charlie. The guys are going to be working on some,” he paused, looking significantly at her, “business this morning. I figured this would be a good opportunity to go meet Billy. He was Charlie’s best friend and would be the best source.”

          Bella smiled brightly at Sam before turning to Opie. Her Old Man nodded, chuckling at the obvious enthusiasm on the girl’s face. “Go ahead, babe. We’ve got shit to do around here.” He told her. Bella jumped up and hugged him tightly and pecked him on his lips. “We won’t be long,” she said. “I want to go to the beach before we head back to Charming.” Opie smiled and brought his hand to her face. “Of course babe, whatever you want.” Bella turned to her father a few seats down and he just smiled at her. “Go on lass, we’ll be around.” She hugged him tightly and turned to Sam. “Let’s do this!”

\-----00000-----

          The little red house was set back from the road a ways, close to the tree line. It was small, with a slight ramp leading up to the front door. Sam killed the bike he was on before setting the kickstand and standing. He helped Bella off the back and removed her helmet. The smile hadn’t left her face since he announced they were leaving and he couldn’t help but smile back at her.

          The front door opened with a squeak drawing their attention. A man exited, one Bella recognized from the clubhouse. It was the kind of cute one that gave her the creeps last night. Bella felt her insides squirm for a moment. “Mornin’ Sam” the man said. “I didn’t realize we were giving tours of our homes to the visitors. If I had known, I would have taken this one out personally.” Bella felt his eyes on her, but couldn’t look up to meet them. Everything about this man made her uncomfortable. She really just wanted to get away. “Jacob!” Sam yelled. “You will show some respect. These people are our guests.” They stared each other down for a moment before Jacob dropped his gaze.

          “Now,” Sam continued. “Is your father home? We need to speak with him.” Jacob nodded his head and turned to lead them inside. Sam nodded at Bella and she followed him to the door.

          The interior of the house was as small as she expected it to be. They entered into a sparsely decorated living room, just an old, beat-up sofa and TV on a stand. A coffee table was in front of the sofa and beside it was a man sitting in a wheel chair. He was older, more than likely around her father’s age, with long dark hair. His skin was the tan of his tribe and weathered slightly from age and a long time spent on the road. He turned to greet them. “Sam! Good to see you son. What brings you by this morning?” The man’s smile was huge as he greeted the visitors.

          Sam put his hand on the small of Bella’s back nudging her forward slightly. “Well Billy, I have someone I know you want to meet.” Bella glanced at Sam, nervousness apparent on her face. He smiled at her and gave her an encouraging nod. “It’s ok hon.” He said to her. She smiled at him and turned back to Billy.

          “Hi.” Bella waved a little at the man. “Um…my name is Bella Telford, but you know me as Isabella Marie Higganbotham.” Bella rung her hands in front of herself and bit her lip. Like last night with Sam, Billy just stared at her for a few moments. He glanced between her and Sam repeatedly, shocked at the turn of events. He slowly wheeled his chair towards her and Bella knelt down in front of her. He placed a hand on her cheek and studied her face.

          She sure looked like Renee and Billy could only stare at her. “Bella,” he finally whispered. “It’s you. It’s really you.” Bella could only nod her head before Billy was wrapping his arms around her, bringing her tightly to his chest. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the comfort. She opened her eyes, glancing over his shoulder at the other man who she now knew was named Jacob. His eyes were wide in shock as he took in the scene before him. The long lost daughter of Charlie Swan was home.

          Bella pulled back from Billy’s embrace and stood. “Come, sit please. We have much to talk about” Billy said as he gestured to the couch. Bella and Sam took a seat as Billy turned his chair to face them. He just sat there for a moment, staring at the woman before him. Finally he broke his gaze away from her, chuckling lightly. “I’m sorry, it’s just so surreal. So many years, so many leads, and all of the sudden BAM!” he exclaimed, slapping the arm of his chair. “You’re here!” His laugh grew louder. “Damn, I wish Charlie was here to see this!”

          Bella smiled at him, chuckling at his antics. “Me too.” Billy just smiled at her. “Oh hell, where are my manners.” He offered his hand to her. “Billy Black, chief of the Quileute tribe.” He pointed at the man standing behind him. “My son Jacob.” Bella nodded at both of them. “You know, I got to hold you when you were a baby. Tiny damn thing you were. I could lay you across my arm and have room to spare.” He sighed in memory. “Of course, that was before the accident” he indicated his legs.

          Waving her sympathetic look away, he continued. “Ancient history hon, don’t worry about it. Now tell me how you came to be up this way after so many years.” Bella smiled and began her story. Much as she did with Sam, she left out the worst parts of her life with Renee, sticking with the basics. When she got to reason she was up there with the Sons, she hesitated and glanced at Sam. She wasn’t sure how much Billy knew about the club and their lives.

          Billy noticed the glance and snickered. “You can talk freely around me hon. I was the president of the Warriors before my accident. Still keep in contact with these hoodlums.” He nodded at Sam and Jacob who just chuckled at him. So Bella continued, talking about the patch-over and how they came to be up there. Billy had been mostly silent throughout the explanation and when she finished, he sat back in his seat and exhaled.

          “I can’t tell you how sorry I am Bella.” Billy rubbed his hands over his eyes. “You should never have had to go through any of that.” He reached over, taking her hand in his and giving it a squeeze. “I hope you know that what that bitch did was completely out of nowhere. If we had any indication, _any at all_ , we would have never let you out of our sight.”

          Billy paused for a few, seemingly lost in thought. A small smile graced his face as his gazed returned to her. “When Charlie first met Renee, he was smitten. She was free spirit that was for sure. And very beautiful, funny, charming. She was every small town boy’s fantasy. But,” He sighed deeply, his soul and mind burdened with guilt. “I was unsure about her. She really seemed too good to be true. But Charlie was completely gone for the girl and there was no talking to him. So they were together for a while. Sure they had their tiffs and what not, but they seemed to work things out. It wasn’t until she came up pregnant that things changed a bit.”

          The memories assaulted the older man’s mind. Bella was leaned forward slightly in anticipation. This was exactly what she came here for, to learn more about the man that had spent so many years looking for her. Charlie was something above and beyond in her mind, like a concept that she couldn’t quite grasp. How could one man love her so much that he spent her entire life looking for her? It was an inconceivable concept to her.

          “Charlie was thrilled,” Billy continued. “The entire pregnancy, he walked around with the biggest, goofiest smile on his face.” He paused for a moment in thought before turning to his son. “Jacob, go look on my dresser and get that photo album.” The tall, silent man nodded at his father and took off down the short hall. He returned a moment later with a large, black photo album. Bella couldn’t help the trembling in her hands. This was it, she would finally be able to see photos of him and feel like she knew him more. Jacob handed her the album, not taking his eyes off of her. “Thanks,” she whispered.

          Bella held the book for a moment before opening the cover. She laughed out loud at the first picture. It was of Billy and Charlie. They were standing shirtless on what she assumed was one of the beaches in the area. They had their arms wrapped around each other, a string of fish in their opposite hands. Their smiles were huge and you could just see the pride they had in their catch. Billy looked at the picture she was laughing at.

          “This was right after we found out Renee was pregnant. We spent the whole day fishing and relaxing, just excited. He was already planning your room and all the things he wanted to get. He wanted to paint it purple cuz he felt pink was too common.” Billy paused for a moment. “He even talked of asking Renee to marry him, ‘do the right thing’ he said.” He shook his head. “But we both knew that wouldn’t work. He hoped that one day Renee would want to settle down, but wasn’t incredibly hopeful. Right before she turned up pregnant was when they had their biggest fight and she just took off.” He smiled gently at the girl before him as she flipped through more pages of the book. “And I guess we all know where she went and what she was doing then. But Charlie was optimistic. His only hope was that she would at least be a good mother to you. Maybe the responsibility would help her settle.”

          Billy turned to the coffee table and grabbed his bottle of water there, taking a big gulp before her continued. “The pregnancy wasn’t easy. We couldn’t understand why she was constantly sick, never really had an appetite. What we didn’t realize at the time was she was detoxing from that last binge in Washington. Charlie managed to get her to eat sporadically, but it never lasted long. Towards the end, her true colors started showing.” He looked at Sam and then Jacob. He had explained part of this to them before to help them understand Charlie’s need to find the girl. Charlie feared for his daughter’s safety.

          “I never saw her do it, but every once in a while, Charlie would show up with a big bruise on his arm or leg. He would always play them off, but I wasn’t stupid. Renee was getting violent with him. As good a cop as he was, he couldn’t even admit to himself he was being abused.” Billy sighed heavily. “It may not be as common, but there are women who take their anger out on men just as men do on women. At any rate, it got to the point where she wouldn’t come out of the house. My wife, Sarah, tried to reach out to her, to get her to take better care of herself, but Renee refused all contact.”

          “The day she went into labor, Charlie had been out here, helping me with bike. Sarah screamed from the house for him to haul his ass to Forks, he was gonna be a daddy. I’ve never seen him move so fast. If he had been in his cruiser, I swear he would have run the lights and sirens. Sarah and I followed and waited patiently in the waiting room with Charlie. Renee refused him entry in to the delivery room and it was driving him nuts. He paced and when the doctor finally came out with a tiny bundle in his arms, I thought he was going to pass out. Renee was fine, the baby was fine, and we were all in love.”

          Billy turned to a page towards the back. Charlie was sitting in a chair that was obviously in a hospital. There was a beautiful Native woman standing behind him, one hand on his shoulder. Charlie was gazing down at the tiny bundle in his arms, the smile on face wide and shining. Just from this one picture, Bella could practically feel the love he held for her. Her eyes teared up and Sam reached over, handing her a bandana he had in his pocket. She smiled her thanks and turned back to the picture.

          “That was the first one ever taken of you. There was no prying you from his arms that day, he was completely smitten. I guess that was a good thing though.” Bella turned her gaze to the man before her. This was the part Billy was not anticipating, the part that still made absolutely no sense to him. “Renee was… detached to say the least. She showed no desire to hold you, no interest in breastfeeding, just seemed relieved that you were out of her.” He patted Bella’s band lightly. “But I want you to know that you _were_ wanted, you _are still_ wanted.” Bella smiled through her tears.

          “The next month seemed to fly by. It seemed that Charlie was doing just about everything for you. After you were brought home, Sarah stayed for a few days. Renee just laid in bed while Sarah taught Charlie how to make a bottle, change a diaper, bathe you. She had to come home soon after because she was pregnant with Jacob at the time, her due date getting closer. I made frequent visits to the house to make sure Charlie was coping. I think I saw Renee a total of 7 or 8 times in that whole month.” Billy turned another page. This time the photo showed Billy standing in an unfamiliar living room holding baby Bella. His hair wasn’t quite as long as it was now, but his smile was as bright as Charlie’s was. “This was the last time I saw you.”

          Billy cleared his throat, trying to hold back the tears that were welling in his eyes. “Charlie had saved all his vacation time and was able to spend the whole first month home with you. There was no such thing at ‘paternity leave’ at the time.” Billy chuckled mirthlessly. “The day after this picture was taken, he had to return to work. He was so torn up about it, but knew he had to provide for his daughter. So that morning he kissed you in the crib, told Renee to call him immediately if she needed anything, and left.”

          “When he got home, he knew something was wrong. The house was dark and Renee’s car was gone. He searched the house top to bottom but there was no sign of either of you. He called me in a panic, wondering if you were down there.” Billy had to stop for a moment. This was the hardest part. “Our search started small, the hospital, Forks, La Push. But you were nowhere to be found. Eventually, he called his office in and consequently the FBI was brought in.”

          Billy grasped her hand again and brought her attention to him, eyes locking. “I hope you know and understand that your father did everything in his power to find you. Renee must have been smarter than we thought because she managed to stay one step ahead of us the entire time. And I hate every little thing you had to go through. I hate her for doing this to you, to us, but especially to Charlie.” Bella couldn’t look away from Billy, so absorbed in the story of her “father”. “He was an absolute wreck. For months, he would go to work then come home and continue his search. He had people, legal and some not so legal, on the lookout. It became routine for him. The only time he took a break was when Sarah made him and right after my accident. He helped me though my own loss just as I had been helping him. It wasn’t until the paternity issue came about that I saw any kind of crack.”

          “He came to me the day he found out you weren’t biologically yours. I was shocked to say the least. I knew Renee was bad news, but I never imagined she had cheated on him, much less have the nerve to claim him to be your father. Makes me wonder if she ever really knew.” He paused, lost in thought for a moment. Shaking his head, Billy continued. “He was just as broken that day as the day he lost you. It was unreal to him that you were not his child. He had not seen you in 17 years and now to find this out. I asked him what he wanted to do. Was he still going to continue the search?” Billy laughed lightly. “He looked at me like I was completely insane. ‘Are you out of your damn mind? Of course I’m going to find my daughter. Blood don’t mean shit. That’s my kid I’ve been searching for.’ He did say that if he ever got his hands on Renee, she would never see the light of day again.” Bella couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her then. She didn’t blame him one little bit.

          “So, you know what happened then. After Charlie’s accident, I tried to continue the search. I had been in contact with Charlie’s lawyer and knew he had contacted your biological dad. I had every hope that he was searching for you as hard as Charlie did. And now you’re here.” Billy gazed at her, the heartache of losing his best friend and the wonder of her being here now finally overwhelmed him and he allowed the tears to fall down his cheeks. Bella cupped his face and pressed a kiss to his forehead before pulling him into a tight hug.

          They stayed liked that for what felt like forever. Finally Billy released her, swiping at his eyes. “Ah, forgive this old man. I’m just an old sap.” Bella smiled at him and laughed. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad to know he had such a good friend to support him.” Billy smiled at her. “It’s nothing Bella. I only wish you had known him as I had. Now on to happier things. Let me tell you about the time I got Charlie to streak First Beach in the heart of tourist season!”


	19. Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella visits the beach to contemplate what she learned from Billy, we check in with the Cullens, and Sam makes a decision that has far reaching consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning: Mentions of abortion in this chapter. I know this is a touchy subject for some. I do not think that it is something that I could ever do, but I do not believe it is my right to tell anyone what to do with their body. And I do not think it would be something that my Bella would even consider. She has a strong need for love and there is no love quite like the unconditional love of a child. She didn’t receive it until she came to be with Chibs. She still desires that love. Also a big THANK YOU to Scandell for giving me the idea that presents itself at the end of the chapter ;-) It actually came through quicker than I thought it would lol. I hope I do it justice! Also this is as much as I have written at this point. I have started chapter 20 and will be working on it. Hopefully I can get it out soon!

          Sam and Bella spent the next hour or so talking with Billy about Charlie. Billy told them stories of Charlie growing up and Sam shared his experiences with the man who was his surrogate father. It was amazing for Bella to finally get to know him. The smile she had on her face did not fade the entire time.

          When Jacob’s cell phone rang, it startled everyone. He stepped outside to take the call and quickly returned telling Sam he needed to meet with someone on the Res. He turned his gaze to Bella, his eyes dark and determined. “It was nice talking with you Bella. Hope we can get together again real soon.” His voice was low and husky and sent shivers down her spine, but for all the wrong reasons. Bella was not comfortable around this man at all.

          So she just gave him a small smile and nodded. Once Jacob left, Sam stood up and reached a hand to Bella. “We better get going as well. I’m sure the guys are wondering where you are. Don’t want them to think I swept you away to my teepee to keep.” He smirked at her. Bella laughed loudly, feeling freer than she had in ages. It was the feeling of peace and family that she had experienced the first time Chibs had hugged her.

          Bella put her hand in Sam’s and rose from couch. “Thank you Billy, for everything.” She turned to hug the man tightly. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I am so glad to finally know Charlie a bit better.” Billy released her and cupped her face gently. “Any time Bella. You have my number, you have Sam’s. We are family now, we look out for each other. If you ever need anything or just want to talk, I am right here. Just give me call.”

          Bella smiled brightly at him and turned towards the door. Sam shook Billy’s hand and followed her out. Bella stood next to Sam’s bike, breathing deeply. The salty scent of the ocean invaded her senses and relaxed her. The smile hadn’t faded from her face, she was just so happy. Hearing Sam’s footsteps behind her, Bella turned to face him. “Are we closer to the ocean here?”

          Sam nodded and pointed at the trees behind the house. “Actually just about a five minute walk through there. Did you want to go?” Bella bit her lip in thought. She really wanted to go with Opie, but she had a lot of information dumped on her that morning and needed to process it. A walk on the beach sounded like it would do the trick. So she nodded and followed Sam to the woods and through to the beach.

          It wasn’t white sands and blue waters, though she really hadn’t expected that. The shore was pebble and piles of driftwood littered the area. The sky was grey with clouds, ready to drop the next deluge of rain. The dark waters were only a little choppy right then, white caps gently breaking on the shores. Bella looked up and down the beach, not a soul in site except for Sam. She walked a little closer to the water and considered taking off her shoes, but decided against it.

          They turned left and wandered down the beach for a bit. Bella appreciated the silent support Sam provided. She went over and over in her mind the story of her early life. Sure she knew Renee’s cruelty throughout her life, but to not even care before she was born? She tried to imagine being pregnant and not absolutely in love with the child growing within her. It was unfathomable to her really. They are a part of you, something that can never be changed.

          Then a dark thought occurred to her. Why didn’t she just terminate it? Why go through it when it was obviously unwanted? Bella knew that she would never be able to go through something like that, no matter what. But she had seen how Renee lived her life and even had her suspicions that she had in fact had an abortion at least once, so why keep her? The thought had occurred to frequently throughout her life. Renee could have abandoned her at any point, given her back to Charlie or even to an orphanage. It wasn’t that Bella wasn’t grateful for her life, it just made no sense to her.

          Bella pulled herself from those thoughts. There was no reason for them. She was alive, she had family, she had a man that cared for her. Life was good. So instead she thought about the stories Billy had told of a younger, happier Charlie. They had gotten in to so many things in their younger years. When Billy had prospected and then joined the Wolf Warriors, Charlie had gone to the police academy. Their friendship remained strong. Though Billy wasn’t necessarily hardcore outlaw, he did dance the line and Charlie respected him for his strong stance against the hard drugs that were trying to make their way into their towns. With both of them in charge, the area was kept clean and thriving. Even after Billy’s accident and subsequent departure from the club, Charlie worked with Sam with ease to maintain the status quo.

          Bella’s thoughts then turned to the silent man beside her. She glanced at him, taking in his lowered brows and slightly pursed lips. She could understand the attraction Leah had for him. All the boys that she had met last night were really… Well beautiful was the only word she could come up with. Even Sam, with his shorter hair and fuller lips than the rest of them, was amazing to look at. Right now though, he seemed a million miles away from where they were walking. “So,” she finally broke the silence. “How long have you and Emily been together?”

          Sam looked over at the inquisitive brunette. The question seemed out of left field to him, but he couldn’t blame her curiosity. He sighed heavily before answering. “Well, I guess almost a year? Sounds about right.” His voice was low and full of sadness though. He didn’t want to delve into his relationship, but maybe this was the right time to do so, with someone familiar enough with the inner workings of the club to understand his conflict and outside of his life enough that she could listen without judging on past events.

          “It started out ok. One night stand turned relationship.” Sam put his hands in his pockets and sighed. “And then she was just kinda there and didn’t leave, so I got used to her being there. Don’t get me wrong,” he turned to Bella. “I do love her, in a way. She’s there when I need to vent, she takes care of me and the boys to an extent. I just… I fell into a life that I thought I needed, especially with leading the Warriors. I had been lonely for so long and then suddenly I had someone there taking care of me. It was convenient.”

          Bella nodded at him in understanding. She knew that feeling all too well, the need to be wanted and to be taken care of. To not have to depend on herself for the basics of life from food and clothing to love. “But you don’t love her with your whole heart?” Sam chuckled, shaking his head. “I haven’t ever thought about marriage or children with her. I haven’t desired a future that included her. Hell, I haven’t even considered giving her my patch.” Bella looked at him in curiosity.

          “It’s like making it official with her. She becomes my Old Lady then. Sure, she calls herself that now, but really, I never asked her, never told her she was. I sure as hell never gave her the kutte with my patch saying she was mine. Jared gave one to Kim a while back. She’s the only real ‘official’ Old Lady. The others are just enjoying bachelorhood.” Bella nodded finally understanding. “We have something similar I guess.” Bella said. “It’s a crow tattoo. I know Gemma has one on her chest from Clay. I think Jax gave one to his ex-wife as well, but that didn’t turn out so well.” Sam nodded in understanding. “So where’s yours?” he asked. Bella blushed and they stopped walking. “I don’t have one. Opie and I only recently got together. He just said I was his Old Lady, so I went with it.” She gnawed on her lip for a moment before looking back up at him. “I guess I’ll get one eventually.”

          They stood for a moment gazing at the ocean. “So what’s keeping you from breaking it off? I mean I know you kinda love her, but it seems like you don’t like her very much. You should never be with someone if you’re not happy. Being there out of obligation can lead to some real resentment and a more painful ending.” Sam sighed heavily again. “It’s nice to have her around for the moment. I think my biggest problem is her knowledge. She knows everything about the club: our dealings before and after the Sons. I’m afraid she might do something that could hurt us all and I can’t take that chance. There’s a lot at stake with the life we lead and if she gets a hair up her ass, she can destroy us all. I don’t want that, not for my sake, but for the guys and your family.” He ran a hand through his hair, his conflicted thoughts more than obvious on his face.

          Bella laid a hand on his arm and looked up at him. “Sam, you need to do what’s right for you. You have to make her understand that you do care for her just not in the way she wants. And,” She paused, making sure Sam met her gaze. Her eyes were blazing with a fierceness that almost startled him. “She must know that if she tried to do _anything_ to hurt you, your boys, or _our_ family, it would not end well for her. At all.” Her hand squeezed his arm slightly, emphasizing her point. She would protect those boys with her life and would do whatever it took to make sure they were safe.

          Sam pulled her in to a tight hug. She was right, it really had gone on long enough. “Come on.” He said. “I’m sure the guys are wondering where we are.” They turned back towards the Black home, both still contemplating the conversations of the morning. They both came to conclusions before they reached the bike: Bella was going to live up to her word and protect her family. Sam was going to end it with Emily.

\-----00000-----

          “Here asshole. Next time give me a challenge.” Jasper walked into Edward’s office, slapping a file folder on the desk. Edward chuckled at his brother and pulled the file to him. He opened it and sifted through the papers as Jasper left the room. There were police records, mug shots, business records for a place called Teller Morrow Automotive. At the back of the file was the report he was really looking for. Attached to front was a picture of one Isabella Marie Telford, nee Higganbotham. Her name had only recently been changed.

          Edward read through the report about the girl that was missing for 17 years. Seems like the local police chief had looked for her up until his “untimely” death. Edward smirked, remembering that perfect setup. A few drinks bought at a bar and subtle suggestion on a route home played out perfectly in his mind. They needed the chief out of the way so their business could thrive. Edward just made that happen. Simple as that.

          He continued his reading, working through her school records up to her GED. There wasn’t much in the way of history on the girl, the biggest thing being her missing status. He turned back to the front of the small packet and gazed at the picture. It was a recent one, probably from a driver’s license. Her dark hair was down around her shoulders, bright brown eyes shining, and a huge smile on her face. Edward found himself entranced by it. There was just something about this girl that drew him in. He wanted to know her, feel her, have her in his life.

          Edward went back through the records and found the one for Filip “Chibs” Telford. He assumed this was her father. His record was extensive including public intoxication, inciting a riot (Ireland), and gun running. But nothing too recent. The other men were similar in charges and affiliations. From their arrests and known affiliations, it seemed they were connected somehow to at the least the IRA, if not the True IRA. The last report he read was for a Harry “Opie” Winston. This was the tall man he had seen embrace Isabella last night. He had just completed five years in Chino State Penitentiary, divorced, two kids.

          He set the papers down and leaned back in the chair. So these guys were gun runners, were more than likely connected overseas (which he was familiar with, they dealt frequently with the Russians for their own guns), and were in town. But why?

          “You look deep in thought brother.” Edward turned his head towards the voice coming from the doorway. Rosalie stood there in all her fashion forward glory. He greatly admired his sister, not only for her beauty, but for her ruthlessness and ice cold attitude. She was the one they dealers were really afraid of. Edward smiled at her. “Something like that” he answered her. Rosalie strutted (there was really no other way to describe her walk) to his desk and perched on the front it. She reached for the file that Edward had just set down. Opening it, she flipped through the reports, pausing briefly on the one for Isabella.

          “Sons of Anarchy? I’m not familiar with them.” She placed the folder back on the desk. “Why the reports?” She asked. Edward leaned back in the chair and templed his fingers in front of lips. He didn’t want to let on his interest in the girl, he knew Rose would tell their mother who would hound him about her to no end. “I was at the bookstore last night and saw these guys in the diner. Just curious as to what their business would be in town. Not finding any connection so far.” Rosalie studied her brother thoughtfully. It hadn’t slipped her notice that there was only one female file in those reports. “So it has nothing to do with that girl, what was her name again?” she queried. She reached for the file but Edward was quick to snatch it out of her reach. “No.” he replied. “She just happened to be with them at the time I saw them. Thought she might be associated somehow. She’s one of the club member’s daughter and has some kind of connection with the former chief of Forks.”

          Rosalie studied her brother for a moment. He wasn’t lying she could tell. But there was more to his interest than the mere coincidence of the girl being with the bikers. “I’ve heard about that. She was kidnapped or something.” _Too bad she never got to meet the bastard_ Rosalie thought snidely. “Think they have anything to do with that club out on the Res, the Warriors or whatever?”

          Edward thought for a moment. He had initially thought something along those lines, but hadn’t really processed it all. “Not sure. Far as I know they aren’t really the gun running type. The Sons most definitely are.” He opened the file and pulled the sheet for Clay Morrow. “He may not have had charges in recent years, but all his past was gun running, assault, minor weed charges. All the other ones are similar except,” he paused and pulled the sheet for Harry Winston, “this one. He got 5 years for arson, just got out.” Rosalie studied the sheets for a few moments contemplating the new information.

          “See what’s going on in this town, Charming is it?” Rosalie snorted at the town’s name. “Maybe they’ve had something happen and are looking for outside help.” Edward smiled at his sister. That’s another thing he loved about his sister, she saw shit others might not have seen. He pulled his laptop over and began his search for the town.

          The results were quick. The normally quiet town and surrounding area had recently experienced something of a disturbance. A birdseed storage warehouse had exploded outside of town, witnessed by more than two counties worth of people. The report said it was a propane tank explosion, but from the few published pictures he found, Edward didn’t really think so. There was something about the crates he saw. No way had birdseed reacted like that.

          “Wonder if this warehouse has anything to do it?” he asked his sister. He turned the laptop to face his sister who read through the article quickly and studied the picture just as Edward had done. She hummed lightly before responding. “I’m willing to bet my new Louis Vuitton luggage it has something to do with this. We need some inside info.” Edward snorted. “Yeah good luck with that, they’re tighter than protestant’s asshole down there.”

          Rosalie clicked her nails on the desk, her mind going over everything she knew about the club on the Res. There was no way they were getting through the guys. They took their brotherhood seriously, especially considering they were all blood related in some way. No, that was not the way to go. But a couple of them had Old Ladies. Women were usually weaker, easier to break. An idea formed in her head, she just had to get to them.

\-----00000-----

          Sam had just dropped off Bella at the clubhouse and was heading home. The guys were working through the details of the runs that would be made. He knew he needed to be in on this information, but he had something he needed to do first. The entire ride back from the Blacks’ he had went over exactly what he would say to Emily and how he hoped it would go. It wasn’t going to be easy, that was for damn sure, but it was going to be better for him in the long run. And he needed to do it before she got any more information out of him unwittingly. She didn’t need the details of their new operation.

          Sam pulled up in front of his home and sat there for a moment. The woods surrounded the house, isolating it from the rest of the world. When he bought the house that was one of the first things he loved about it. He was away from people and the stigma that his bastard of a father had left on him. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted, and how he wanted. It had been plain and simple and exactly what he needed. Now though, there were flowers in pots one the porch, a couple of rocking chairs (though he didn’t mind those, good to sit in and smoke a blunt to clear his head), and little knick knacks that drove me him crazy because he was constantly knocking them over and pissing Emily off.

          He finally turned off his bike and removed his helmet. Setting it in his saddlebag, he heaved a huge sigh and made his way into the house. There was something cooking in the oven and by the smell of it, it was going to be _spicy_. He shook his head and called out “Emily!” She came from the bedroom in the back, smiling widely at him. Now that he took the moment to study her, he couldn’t really place what was physically attractive about her. Her eyes were small and too wide set. Her lips were thin and almost always positioned in a frown. She had the classic Makah skin tone and hair, but she wasn’t as strikingly beautiful as Leah was. There was no comparison really.

          “SAMMY!” He cringed a bit at her exclamation. That was another thing, she was shrill most of the time. Sure she had her soft moments, but they were getting fewer and farer between. “I’ve missed you honey, where have you been all day?” She reached for him as she spoke, but Sam backed away holding a hand up to her. Emily’s face fell into a frown as her arms dropped to her side. Sam turned to the living area and took a seat on the couch with a big sigh. “Emily, we need to talk.”

          Two hours later, a furious Emily left the house she had been sharing with Sam, two big suitcases in tow. Sam watched her from the porch. He had watched her pack her clothes, making sure she didn’t take anything that didn’t belong to her. It had started out calm enough. Sam explained his feelings, how he cared, but not like she supposedly cared for him. He felt there was no future and he needed his space. She let him get through it all before launching into a tirade that included insults about him:  _YOU USED ME YOU ASSHOLE! I WAS ONLY A MAID AND COOK AND HOLE FOR YOU TO USE! YOU’RE JUST A DUMB, MEDIOCRE MECHANIC!_ Then she turned to his father and mother: _YOU DON’T EVEN SPEAK TO YOUR MOTHER ANY MORE AND NOW YOU’RE WALKING IN YOUR FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS, TURNING AWAY THE ONLY WOMAN WHO EVER HAS AND EVER WILL LOVE YOU!_  And of course his abilities in the bedroom:  _I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU THINK YOU’RE EVER GOING TO GET ANOTHER WOMAN IN YOUR BED! YOUR DICK ISN’T BIG ENOUGH TO SATISFY A FUCKING VIRGIN!_  Then finally the club:  _YOU INBRED BUNCH OF ASSHOLES ARE GOING TO GET CAUGHT AND SPEND YEARS IN PRISON. THEY’LL TURN ON YOU TO SAVE THEIR OWN ASSES, YOU MARK MY WORDS_.

          That was when he lost it. Sam knew better than to touch her, the cops would be there before she hit the ground. But he was not above threats and promises. He backed her in a corner in the living and put his finger in her face. His voice was low and harsh as he spoke. “Let me make one thing clear to you right now. I don’t care who you _think_ you are, I don’t care who you _think_ you know. You will not insult my brothers, the ones who have protected you in the past, who have served you and done everything you have ever asked or demanded of them. From here on out, you _will not_ associate with any member of my club. You _will not_ talk about them to anyone. And you most certainly _WILL NOT_ speak about anything we may or may not have done. Not to anyone on the Res, outside the Res, with the law or anything. I cannot make this clear enough to you.” Sam placed both hands on the wall on either side of her head and leaned in further. His breath was hot on her face as he continued. “If I ever get wind that you have spoken to someone out of turn, you will disappear. You will hurt. They will never find you and no one will care. Because in the end,” he leaned back slightly and looked her up and down. “You’re disposable. Now, you can get your shit and get the fuck out of my house. I suggest you go back to Neah Bay and stay there. You are no longer welcome here.”

          Emily threw the bags into her trunk and slammed it shut. She was beyond tears at this point, the anger was just boiling inside of her. She ripped the driver’s door open and jammed the key in the ignition. She glared once more at Sam before cranking the car and taking off in a cloud of dust. On the porch, Sam heaved a great sigh and wiped his hands over his face. He turned and locked the front door, making sure it was secure. He was thankful that he remembered to get her house key before she left. He double checked the windows and strode to his bike. There was a bottle of Jack at the clubhouse that had his name written all over it.

          Emily pulled up one of the only bars in Forks, right on the outside of the city limits. It was nothing but a hole in the wall, but it served her purpose. At least there was a hotel next door so she could sleep off the mass amount of drink she was about to consume. She sidled up to the bar and ordered a shot of vodka and a beer. She sat like that for a little while, slowly getting drunk and trying to forget the look in Sam’s eyes. She really should have been scared, but she just grew more and more furious. Emily was so lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the man slip on to the barstool next to her. The man ordered a beer and sat there quietly for moment, studying her.

          Through the haze of alcohol, Emily finally felt the weight of a stare on her. She turned slowly and took in the man next to her. He was tall, handsome, and obviously rich as indicated by his overpriced shirt and pants he was sporting in the rinky dink bar. “Everything ok, miss?” His voice was soft and calmed her nerves a bit. Emily just shook her head. “No, not really. Everything has never been more _not_ ok.” The man chuckled slightly, a crooked smile on his lips. “Now, it can’t be that bad, can it?” he asked. She glared at him balefully, no words needed. “Well,” he said. “Let’s see if we can make it better. Let’s start out easy, an introduction. My name’s Edward. What’s yours?”


	20. Coincidence?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella and Leah make a trip into town and run in to somebody. Leah makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah so excuses are like assholes: everyone has one and they all stink. I could make excuses, but if you follow me, you know I’ve written, just not for this. I honestly got a little lost when it came to this story. I know what I want to do, but it’s hard getting the ideas I have down on “paper”. It’s frustrating because I know people like the story and I don’t want to leave it hanging, I just have to get around this particular block. Anyways, I decided to review the story again and edit it (grammar and such) again and post it on Ao3 to hopefully get my inspiration back. I did get it for now and got this chapter done. I want to thank everyone who has read and asked/PM’d me for updates. It is encouraging to know that people are still checking this out and following/favoriting it! It does encourage me, especially when I’m going through ish and I get a random alert on it. Some of the locations mentioned in this chapter are fictional. I’m trying to use as many real places as I can, but it’s not working for what I want to do lol. Thanks again and please drop me a line and let me know what you think!

                The following day, Bella woke up first again and just enjoyed the quiet. There had, of course, been another party last night, though nowhere near as bad as the patch over party. Her and Opie had mostly sat at the bar and talked with Jared and Embry. They had been excited about the work they had done with the Sons and eager to get moving on things. She had seen Sam come in at some point, but he had grabbed a bottle from the bar and had disappeared past the kitchen where there was apparently an office. Bella had worried about him for a few because she knew what this meant. He had broken it off with Emily and was dealing with it in his own way.

                They had one more day in La Push before they had to return to Charming. She knew the guys would be busy again today, but Leah had told her last night they would do something together today. Bella had wanted to explore Forks a little bit, maybe go by the police station and talk to some of Charlie’s coworkers. Leah was going to drive her around. Bella smirked in thought. Leah had been almost completely attached to Jax last night and it wasn’t her fault. Jax just couldn’t seem to get enough of the beautiful woman. And it wasn’t that Bella could blame him. Even from their limited interactions, Bella knew she was strong woman who wouldn’t take shit from nobody. She was happy for her friend, but scared at the same time. They were leaving and she didn’t know where that would leave Jax and his feelings.

                Bella left Opie sleeping in the bed and went to the bathroom to dress. She then made her way downstairs. The clubhouse looked the same as the day before with empty beer bottles and bodies spread all over. This time, though, instead of running in to Sam in the kitchen, she was greeted by Leah flipping on the switch of the coffee pot. “Morning,” she said to the older woman. Leah turned and smiled at Bella. “Morning sunshine. Long night?” Bella blushed and shook her head. While she and Opie had repeated some of the previous night’s activities, they still hadn’t gone further than that. “No, just a good night.” Leah smirked and grabbed two coffee cups from the cabinet above her. As they waited for the brew to complete, Bella searched the cabinets for something to make for breakfast. Surprisingly she found a plethora of baking supplies and all the ingredients for cinnamon streusel muffins.

                Smiling, Bella grabbed the ingredients and got to work. “Who bakes here?” she asked Leah. Leah turned from the watching the pot and smirked at Bella. “Well,” she said, “Emily _attempted_ baking. She was never really any good at it honestly, but the boys didn’t have the heart to tell her that the muffins were hard as rocks and her cakes….well they just sucked!” Bella laughed at her new friend and smiled. “Well, I’m sure they will appreciate something edible and I learned from the best.”

                Leah raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh? And who would that be?” Bella’s smile didn’t diminish as she replied “Why our very own resident Elvis impersonator, Bobby!” Leah burst into laughter and must have startled some of the guys in the clubhouse because Juice and the La Push SAA (who Bella had learned was named Paul) stumbled into the kitchen and straight to coffee pot. Bella continued her work as Leah sipped on her coffee, occasionally making a comment or two.

                “There you are!” Bella bit back a laugh as she heard Jax’s voice in the doorway. She saw Leah’s cheeks flush bright red (something she hadn’t expected from her at all) as Jax made his way over. He wrapped Leah in his arms and nuzzled his face into her neck. “Missed you this morning.” Leah laughed lightly at him. “I was only gone 20 minutes at the most.” Jax pulled back and smiled. “Yeah, but the bed was cold. I needed you to keep me warm.”

                At that, both Juice and Paul broke into loud laughter. “Well, he’s got you there!” Paul shouted. Leah glared and flipped him off before returning to her coffee. Jax left her and pecked Bella on the cheek on the way to the coffee pot. “Muffins?” he asked with anticipation in his voice. Paul groaned, “Nonononono please noooooooo.” Leah laughed at him while Jax and Juice looked confused. “Is there a problem with muffins?” Juice asked innocently.

                Leah shook her head. “Paul, I don’t think you’ll have a problem with these. Trust me, this girl is nothing like Emily.” Paul just scowled and muttered something about they better not be. Bella just smiled at him and poured the batter and put the pans into the oven. There were two more pans left, so she filled them while she waited on the first batch to bake. In the meantime, she dug eggs and bacon out of the refrigerator and passed the eggs to Jax. She pulled a bowl down from the cabinet and placed it in front of him. “Make yourself useful and get to crackin’ J!”

                Jax shook his head and smirked, but started cracking the eggs into the bowl. By this time, more people had wandered into the kitchen including Tig, Embry, Bobby, Sam, and Clay. They all got cups of coffee and made their way back out to the clubhouse area and started cleaning. Once all the eggs were cracked, Jax turned to Bella. “I’m going to help them out, eggs are ready to go.” She smiled and thanked him as he walked out, leaving just Bella and Clay in the kitchen.

                Bella retrieved a skillet and placed it on the stove. As it heated, she beat the eggs and added salt and pepper, all the while feeling Clay’s eyes boring into the side of her head. She knew he had something to say, something about her seeing Cherry yesterday morning. And she honestly didn’t know if she wanted to hear it. “Look,” he started, voice still rough and growly from sleep. “I know you know the rules of the run. Now I don’t know what kind of shit you have with Opie, but in my house there are my rules.” Bella turned and looked into the steel blue eyes of the older man. He brought his thick finger up and pointed it directly into her face. “Don’t go trying to tell Gemma shit that is none of her business. What I do on my own time is my business, no one else’s.”

                With that he turned away and walked out of the kitchen, yelling something to the prospect. Bella stood there for a moment, just taking deep breaths. Of all the club members, she probably knew Clay the least on a personal level. There was just something about him that didn’t set well with her. While he was friendly enough when others were around, she knew he was devious, manipulative, and it made her nervous. She knew she wouldn’t say anything to Gemma, but even the omission of information felt like a lie and Bella hated lies.

                She wasn’t sure how long she stood there but eventually Opie’s voice broke her out of her daze. “Mornin’ babe.” Bella turned and smiled tentatively at him. He looked at her in concern. “You ok?” She nodded and turned to take the muffins out of the oven. “Yeah, just still waking up.” Opie chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist after she set the muffin tray down. She leaned into his embrace, enjoying the warmth of it. This was exactly what she needed, comfort and support from someone who actually cared about her.

                Breakfast was a success that morning, not a bite of eggs, strip of bacon, or crumb of muffin left over. Bella reluctantly accepted the praise for the muffins, though she did try to give Bobby credit for teaching her. He just shook his head and told her “Honey, you’ve surpassed the teacher. These are amazing.” The guys even cleaned up the dishes before they went about the business of the club. Clay and Lee were showing Sam and Jared the routes that would serve them best from Canada to California (if they ever needed to make it that far), Chibs, Jax, and Tig were teaching Paul and Quil about carrying methods, and Opie, Bobby, and Juice were going over merchandise schedules with Jacob and a younger looking guy who was wearing a prospect cut. Bella hadn’t actually met him yet.

                Leah came up beside Bella and nudged her arm. “You ready? It’s 10 now, everything that is interesting is open now.” Bella nodded before walking over to Opie. “Hey, we’re gonna head into Forks and look around a bit.” Opie hesitated before waving the prospect over. “Take Sack with you please. For me” he asked. He looked at her with those puppy dog eyes and she couldn’t resist. “Fine.” She said. Leah led Bella outside, with Sack following and hopping on his bike. They got into Leah’s car and took off for town.

                On the ride, Leah shared her stories of Charlie. He had been a good friend of her father’s and her family had supported him as much as they could when Bella was lost. Leah had been too young to really understand why Uncle Charlie (which she called him until his death) was so sad, but she knew it was something to do with his daughter. Charlie had helped her family when her father had a sudden heart attack even though his own heart was heavy with grief. Leah had hoped something would develop between her mother and Charlie, but it was lost when Charlie was killed. Leah had grieved as heavily for him as she had her own father.

                They got to town and Bella enjoyed the quaintness of it. It was similar in size to Charming and that was something that comforted her. Renee had always moved them to big, crowded cities and settled into the worst kind of neighborhoods. It was nice to live somewhere that she didn’t have to look over her shoulder at every turn. Leah parked on the road in front a bookstore across from The In Place where they ate a couple of days before. “I’ve got to run in and talk with mom for moment, do you want to go?” she asked. Bella thought for a moment and shook her head. “No, I think I want to look in this bookstore real quick.” Leah nodded and smiled at her new friend before she exited the vehicle and crossed the street.

                Bella got out of the car and took in her surroundings. Though they were almost thirty minutes from the coast, there was still a slight sea-salt smell to the air. It was refreshing and she breathed it in, closing her eyes against the glare of the sun behind the clouds. She knew it wasn’t often sunny in Washington, so she enjoyed it while she could. There was a slight chill in the air, but it wasn’t too bad. Opening her eyes, Bella smiled at Half-Sack as he opened the door of the bookstore for her and they walked in. Maybe they had something about the local history or even something about the Quileute tribe. After talking with Jared and Embry last night, she wanted to know more about their history.

                Down the street, Edward Cullen walked out of the barber shop just in time to see Bella walk in the bookstore. He smirked as he strolled down the road. Emily had shared a wealth of information about the Wolf Warriors and what was going down under the noses of the local townspeople. The weed and intimidation of local drug dealers was nothing compared to the guns the club was getting into. He had plenty enough to go to the cops about, but that would bring heat to the town he didn’t really want. Edward had his own business to run.

                But it was the story Emily had shared about Bella that intrigued him. Sam had told her about Charlie and his search for his missing daughter. She hadn’t particularly liked Charlie not because he was a cop or anything. Every time he got a lead, he would contact Sam and Sam would go running to help. Often enough it pulled him from their bed and Emily resented that. So when the girl finally showed up, she passed those feelings on to her. “I mean, why didn’t she just run? She could’ve gone to the police at any point! I think she stayed cuz she liked it. She didn’t really want to go.” Edward had cringed at that, but didn’t let on that he didn’t believe her. He just let her continue to rant. But now he knew the history of Bella escaping and finding her biological father. There hadn’t been much more information than Jasper had dug up, but it made him want to meet the girl even more.

                So Edward walked over to the bookstore and observed the woman through the window. He watched as she spoke to the clerk, gesturing to a stand of books from local writers. She smiled as the clerk answered her questions and led her further into the store. Edward cursed under his breath and decided he needed to meet this girl in person. What was it about her that drew him in? She was beautiful for sure, but there was something else. She had made that giant of a man practically melt and her father had been so tender with her. From the few minutes he had observed her the other night, Edward just knew there was something special about this girl. He _needed_ to meet her.

                The bell dinged as Edward opened the door. He glanced around and spotted Bella and the clerk talking over a couple of books. She smiled and they made their way back to the counter so Bella could pay for the books. They spoke for a few minutes, but Edward kept his back to them. When she made her way to the door, Edward followed her back out. Bella stopped on the sidewalk and looked up and down the street. She turned to the right and started down the street. Edward waited until she was past the window of the bookstore before speed walking and “accidentally” running into her. She dropped her bag and one of the books fell out.

                “Oh, I’m so sorry! Here let me help you.” Bella was startled at the gentle sounding voice behind her. She turned to the person who ran into her. He was tall, not as tall as Opie, but maybe a little taller than average. He had reddish brown hair and, from what she could tell, well built. When he stood back up from grabbing her bag and books, she was immediately drawn to his bright green eyes. They were set slightly wide on his face, but very expressive. Right now they sparked with knowledge, like he knew he was attractive and appreciated her checking him out. And he was attractive, kind of. Slightly pale, his nose was almost annoyingly straight and his lips were full and pulled into a half-smirk. _He can’t quite pull it off as well as Jax can_ Bella thought.

                She smiled timidly at him. “Thank you” she said, her voice quiet and shy. He nodded to her and thrust out his hand. “Edward Cullen. I haven’t seen you around town.” Bella glanced at the hand and hesitated for a few before grabbing it and giving it a short shake. She quickly let go of his hand which was cold and slightly clammy. She firmly pushed down the urge to wipe her hand on her pants leg. “Bella Telford. I’m not actually from here, I’m just visiting some friends.” Edward raised his eyebrow, smirk still firmly planted on his face. “Oh?” he asked. “And who would that be?”

                Bella bit her lip and hesitated. She couldn’t tell him about the club of course. So she went with the truth. “Well, I’m visiting some people that were friends with my… step-father.” She didn’t want to get into her whole history with Charlie with a complete stranger. It wasn’t really any of his business. “Who is your step-father? I may know him.” Edward seemed insistent on continuing the conversation that Bella didn’t even want to have. “Charlie Swan, he was the chief of police,” she answered. Bella glanced over his shoulder towards the diner, practically willing Leah to come back out or Half-Sack to return to his bike. He had been looking at some comics in the back of the store and she had honestly forgotten about him when she left the store. Leah had been in the diner for about an hour now and Bella desperately needed to be rescued from this situation.

                Edward saw her glance over his shoulder and rightly assumed she was looking for someone. Hopefully it wasn’t one of the bikers he saw last night. There was one bike parked on the street, but it was white and he didn’t remember that one from last night. He could have missed it though. “Well,” he said, “I didn’t know him personally, but I did hear about the accident. I’m sorry for your loss.” Bella gave him a small smile and said thanks. Her eyes suddenly brightened and Edward glanced over his shoulder at the direction she was looking at. He saw a gangly, young man approaching them at a steady pace. He turned back to Bella, knowing his time was quickly coming to an end. “Well, if you need anything around town let me know.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a business card and handed it Bella who reluctantly accepted it. She didn’t want to be rude. It said “Edward Cullen, Securities and Finance Specialist”. Below that was listed two phone numbers and an email address. “You can reach me anytime. I definitely would not mind hearing from you.” His mouth quirked back into that not so sexy smirk as Bella tucked the card in her back pocket. “Thank you, but I think I’ll be ok” she said in a quiet voice.

                “BELLA!” The shouting of her name drew her gaze across the street to see Leah rushing towards her. “That’s my cue. Hope to hear from you soon, Bella.” Edward said as he grabbed her hand and gently kissed her knuckles. Bella felt her insides squirm unpleasantly and quickly retrieved her hand from him. She didn’t reply as Edward walked off, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the fast approaching friends of Bella.

                “What in the world did that asshole want?!” Leah exclaimed as she reached Bella. Half-Sack arrived at the same time and turned his head as if scanning for some kind threat. Bella shook herself from the stupor that Edward had left her in and turned to Leah. “He knocked into me, picked up my book that I dropped, and just started talking. He was weird, I don’t think I like him” Bella answered her friend.

                Leah snorted derisively. “Well that’s a good thing. Guy’s an asshole. His family moved here a few years ago and shit started getting crazy.” Leah shook her head. “We never had any problems with drugs or any excessive amount of crime until they showed up. I don’t honestly believe that’s any kind of coincidence.” Bella hummed in agreement and turned back towards the car. Her idea for a walk around town flew from her head. She had no desire to be anywhere near the strange man.

                “Hey, Bella.” She looked at Half-Sack as he addressed her. “Please don’t walk out like that again. I freaked when I didn’t see you anywhere in the store. Ope and Chibs would KILL me if something happened to you.” Bella felt her eyes widen with the realization that she had indeed left her tail behind. “Oh cheese, I am so sorry! I didn’t even think about it. I’m still not used to all this. I won’t tell if you won’t.” She smiled at the end hoping there were no hard feelings. Half-Sack sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t not tell them Bella. We’ll just deal with it later.” Bella nodded knowing it was the truth.

                Leah smirked at the pair. “Well, at least they care right?” Bella laughed at her friend because it was the truth. Still an odd truth to her, but a truth none the less. “Come on Bells, let’s go meet some of Charlie’s friends.”

\-----00000-----

                Jax and Leah sat outside the clubhouse later that night, enjoying the cool breeze and bonfire that was lit in the middle of the lot. People had gathered to celebrate the impending departure of SAMCRO and wish them safe travels on their trip home in the morning. They would be waking up early again and making the trip in one day. Clay was anxious to get back and get things settled with the Irish.

                Leah sighed as she leaned back in Jax’s body from her place in between his legs. “What’s on your mind babe?” Jax asked. Leah turned her head up to look at his face. _Damn but he is pretty. Really should be against the law._ She smiled at her thoughts before answering him. “I just… You guys are leaving in the morning and I really don’t want you to go. It’s like… Ok, look, I’m about to get weird, but hang with me for a minute.” Leah watched his brow furrow at her words. It was something he was trying not to think about really. From the moment he met Leah, he knew there was something special about her, something he wanted to hold on to, but wasn’t sure how to do that.

                Leah sat back up and turned to face him, meeting his bright blue eyes. “When I saw you guys walk into the diner the other day, my first thought was _Oh man, look at these assholes._ ” She chuckled. “But from the get go, everyone proved me wrong. Well, except maybe one.” Leah’s brows lowered as she thought about Clay. Bella had told her about what went down in the kitchen that morning with Clay. Even before then, he had made her a bit uneasy. But that wasn’t the point. “Anyway, when you first spoke to me, even though I knew you we being an overconfident asshole,” Jax chuckled at her accurate description of him, “There was something about you that made me want to give you chance. And I’m glad I did.” She raised her hand and ran her fingers down his cheek. Jax closed his eyes at her gentle touch, something he hadn’t experienced from a woman in a long time, of ever. Not even Tara had been as gentle with him.

                “That first night was,” she smiled at the memories, “positively amazing. And I’m not just talking about the sex, though that was nothing to be ashamed of for sure.” Leah winked at him as she lowered her hand from his face, grabbing his hand. “It was the fact that you talked to me. You told me about your family and I told you about mine. I have never had anyone take the time to get to know me and share their life story with me.” She sighed, looking down at their now entwined fingers. “And yeah I knew you guys weren’t staying forever, but I didn’t expect these feelings at all. I care for you, Jackson. I know so much about you and I want to know more. I want to be able to see you whenever I want, I want to meet your crazy mom, get to know your insane family, meet your son. I just want more time with you and I don’t know how to deal with the fact that I’m not going to get it.”

                Jax untangled their fingers, reaching his hands to cup her face. He encouraged her to look up and meet his eyes, studying her for a few, silent moments. He knew he wanted those same things. Leah had told him so much about her life, but there was so much more he wanted to know. It was irrational, it was stupid, it was impulsive. But deep down, Jax knew it was right. “Come with me. Let me take you back to Charming. We can figure all this out back there.” His words were spoken in a deep voice, full of his need for her to be there with him. He couldn’t explain it, but he knew it was the right move.

                Leah’s eyes widened as she processed his plea. Go with him? Back to Charming? Leah had rarely left the areas of La Push and Forks, never left the state of Washington. Not to mention, her family was here. She had a job, her mom and brother, the guys in the club. Could she leave all that behind and ride off into the sunset on the back of this man’s bike?

                The simple answer was yes, yes should could.

                And she would.

                So staring into Jax’s bright blue eyes, she smiled and gave the only answer screaming through her head and heart. “Ok.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 2: So Clay “laid the law down”, Edward has encountered Bella, and Leah is coming to Charming? What do you think is gonna happen?? I have a vague idea but you give me your opinion! Thanks for sticking with me and I will try my damndest not to let another year pass before I update!!


	21. Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's one more stop before they head back to Charming. But are they alone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Two chapters in a week?! What what!! Ok I’m better lol. Not much to say about this except I probably did an excessive amount of research about distances and timing, but I got to see some beautiful pictures of Washington and Oregon on Google maps J. I hope you enjoy. Thanks for the reviews/favs/alerts. Please let me know what you think. I’m trying not to get too bogged down in a day to day kind of pattern, but it seems inevitable. It seems like this is going to be a lot longer than I initially expected! SIGH. Anyways, here we go!

                “So you want to tell me why you ditched the prospect today?” Bella cringed as she heard her father’s voice close to her. It was later the night before they were leaving for Charming. She had managed to avoid her father until now. As soon as they returned to the clubhouse, Leah had taken off with Jax and Bella had retreated to the bedroom she was sharing with Opie. No one had bothered her and she had only come down when she heard the party starting. She needed the time alone to process the encounter with Edward as it still had her shaken.

                Blushing she turned to face the music. “Honestly dad,” she replied. “I totally forgot he was even there. I just wanted to take a little walk while Leah was talking with her mom and didn’t even think about Sack. I’m sorry.” She tried to look contrite, though internally she was frustrated that she was getting into trouble for something that, at least to her, was a simple mistake.

                Chibs sighed and shook his head. “Aye, I know lass. But you have to understand, I just got you and we are in an unfamiliar place. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He reached out and pulled her into an embrace. Bella sighed as she returned it, feeling content and safe in her father’s arms.

                Opie walked up to the pair smiling. He was happy there wasn’t yelling and screaming like he was used to hearing from other Old Ladies or children. Most would have reacted harshly to being protected, but not Bella. Sure she was unused to it and it bothered her some times, but she knew it was because people actually cared for her and deep down she loved it. “Well,” he stated, announcing his presence to father and daughter. “I just learned something interesting.”

                The pair pulled apart and faced Opie. “Oh? And what’s that?” Chibs queried. Opie chuckled. “Seems we are going to have another passenger for the ride back to Charming.” Bella’s eyes widened at his response, her mind whirling with possibilities. Was one of the former Warriors coming with them? Or was it… _No way!!_

                “It’s Leah, isn’t it?!” Bella asked, bouncing where she stood. Opie just smirked at the girl’s enthusiasm and nodded. Bella squealed and jumped into Opie’s arms. He stumbled back a little before chuckling and embracing her. “I can’t believe it!” She exclaimed. “I mean I knew her and Jax hit it off and she’s been an amazing friend while we’ve been here, but coming back to Charming with us?! I just… I’ll have a friend!” Bella’s eyes were wide with excitement as she pulled back from Opie. “I mean, no offense to you guys or anything, sometimes a girl needs a girl-friend. There’s just somethings I can’t talk to boys about,” she laughed and smiled so brightly, it was contagious. Opie couldn’t help but smile back at the girl.

                Honestly, Opie was glad that Leah was coming back. She seemed to be a good fit for Jax, even with the short time they’d been together. Two days didn’t seem like much, but from the conversation he had with Jax earlier in the day while the girls were gone, Opie could see Jax was completely smitten. Even the former Warriors had commented on the quick intensity of the relationship. Not to mention how good the girl had been for Bella. Leah had taken the younger woman under her wing immediately upon arriving at the clubhouse. It was different from how Gemma treated Bella. Gemma was more of a mother, someone to guide her. Leah had become the friend that Bella needed. Opie just hoped that Jax didn’t fuck this up. There were too many factors in this whole thing and he didn’t want to see his girl hurt because his best friend acted the ass.

                “I gotta go talk to her. Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. Oh I can’t wait!” Bella looked around the clubhouse for Jax’s distinct blond hair. She knew Leah wouldn’t be too far from him. She finally spotted them across the room at one of the tall tables. Clay and Bobby were standing with them talking and laughing. Bella made her over to them, Opie trailing behind her. Leah glanced up when she noticed their approach and smirked. She had a feeling she knew what was coming. Sure enough, her and Jax we engulfed in a giant hug from the tiny girl. Leah laughed at her enthusiasm. “So I guess you heard the news?” Bella pulled away and nodded at her then turned to face Jax. Her expression turned stern as she addressed him. “I’m saying this now, in front of everyone. DO NOT fuck this up. This is a good woman and I like you. I’d hate to have to hurt you!” Jax chuckled before turning serious. “Trust me Bells, I wouldn’t have asked her if I wasn’t completely serious about it.”

                Bella nodded at him and smiled. She was not only happy for herself that she was going to have a friend close to her, but she’s ecstatic for Jax. She knows his history, the good and the bad, but she knew he just wanted the love of a strong woman who won’t take shit from anyone. Bella smirked in thought for a moment. _Boy, I can’t wait for her to meet Gemma. That’s going to be interesting!_

\-----00000-----

                The sun was just barely breaking over the horizon as a grizzled group of bikers loaded up the backs of their bikes and saddlebags. There was a thin veil of fog dancing around the trees surrounding the clubhouse. The only sounds were light murmurs and footfalls from the men and a distant owl hooting in the trees. It’s peaceful and a perfect way to start a long journey. Bella breathed in the cool air tinged with sea-salt and smiled. She had accomplished what she came here for. The stories that Billy Black and the officers at the Charming PD shared with her satisfied the lingering curiosity of the man who so diligently searched for her. She just had one more thing to do to bring about the complete peace she needed to put it all behind her.

                Opie wrapped an arm around Bella’s shoulder as they watched the new Sons bid farewell to the Mother Charter. Loud slaps on leather echoed through the quiet morning and laughter prevailed. It had been a successful trip all around. Bella watched as Leah clung to the La Push prospect tightly, speaking quietly to him. She knew the girl would miss her brother greatly, they had never really been apart and were so tightly connected.

                It was the same with Leah’s mother, who was standing next to the siblings, her hands in praying manner in front of her face. Bella could see tears shimmering in her eyes from where she stood. Bella’s eyes widened and she shared a shocked glance with Opie though when she saw her father place his hand on Sue’s shoulder, turning her into his embrace. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she saw Sue nod a few times before pulled back to look up at Chibs. Bella’s shock grew as she watched her father gently tuck some hair behind Sue’s ear and place a kiss on her cheek, really close to her mouth at least from Bella’s perspective.

                Opie’s quiet laughter rumbled through her back as he took in the same scene. Bella turned in his arms and slapped his chest. “Oh stop. Let the man have a little fun. I know he hasn’t had any in a while.” Opie’s chuckled turned to raucous laughter and Bella blushed as she realized the meaning of her words. _Nope nope nope! Not gonna think about my father’s sex life!_

                Clay gave a sharp whistle called the men to finish their goodbyes. Bella raised up on her tip toes to kiss Opie goodbye. “Ride safe.” Opie smirked and stroked her cheek. “Always babe. Same formation on the way back after we make our stop. It’s gonna be a long hard ride.” Bella nodded and they split to the respective vehicles. She climbed into the truck and was getting settled as Leah opened the passenger door to climb in with her. She was going to ride for the first hitch with Bella and then would join Jax on his bike for a while. Bella smiled at her friend and started the truck up. She led the way off the lot. They had one more stop to make.

                Leah directed Bella to an almost hidden dirt road on the south side of Forks. It wound back through the trees for about a half a mile before ending in a clearing. Bella stopped the truck and stared for a minute while the rest of their group pulled alongside her and cut the bikes off. “Do you want me to go with you?” Bella turned to Leah at her quiet question. After a moment, she shook her head. “No,” she answered. “This is something I need to do on my own.” Leah nodded and pointed at the spot Bella needed to go to. She opened the door of the truck and was met by Jax who pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. This was hard for Leah too as she had been so close to Charlie and missed him greatly. But she would give Bella her moment.

                Bella got out of her truck and just stared at the monuments in front her. She had only been to a graveyard a few times. She had gone as emotional support with Jax when he needed to visit his dad and brother. Oddly enough, she found them peaceful. The people buried here were at peace. They didn’t have to worry about the day to day things or anything like that. They were just there to listen now. Opie approached her in his quiet way and hugged her gently. “Good?” he asked. “Yeah” she replied as she looked up him. She stroked his face lovingly and turned back to the graveyard.

                Bella made her way to the stone that bore her would be father’s name. She smiled as she read the epitaph upon the stone, thinking it highly appropriate.

_Charlie Michael Swan_

_Beloved Chief, Friend,_

_Son, Father_

_“Step forward now, policeman,_  
You’ve borne your burdens well.  
Come walk a beat on Heaven’s streets,  
You’ve done your time in hell.”

                “Hey Charlie,” she began in a whisper. “Um… Well, I guess you know who I am. It’s Bella, Isabella, whatever. I finally made it up here.” Bella paused to try and gather her thoughts. “I escaped Renee. It was you who inspired me to finally get the courage up to go. I knew you would not want me to lead the life I was in. It sucked.” She chuckled mirthlessly. “But, I did find Filip. Well, dad I suppose. I hope you don’t mind I call him that. Anyways, he’s taken me in and has treated me like a princess. We’ve gotten to know each other very well in the short amount of time we’ve known each other.” She glanced over her shoulder at her family and smiled. She had felt their eyes on her when she had approached the headstone, none heavier than Chibs. She knew he was worried about how she would handle this, but Bella knew she would be ok. “I’ve also met someone. Harry, well don’t call him that. Everyone knows him as Opie. Anywho, he is amazing and loving and I adore his two kids and it’s just turned out great. So I just wanted to tell you that I’m ok and I want to thank you.” Bella straightened her back and folded her hands in front of her stomach. “I may not have gotten to know you personally, but I’ve talked to Billy and Sue and Sam and some of your friends and I know you never gave up on me. That gives me some comfort that even though I might have been going through hell, there was at least one person out there that was relentless in searching for me. So thank you for giving me someone to admire, someone I can aspire to be like. Renee tried to break me and yeah, I have my moments of doubt and fear. But I have a strong family now, one that supports me and loves me. I know they will protect me with the same fierceness that you would.” She wiped at her cheeks as she felt the tears she’d been trying to hold in begin to fall. “Don’t worry about me, Charlie. I’m good.”

                Bella kissed her finger tips and placed them on the top of the headstone before turning to go back to her family. As soon as she was in reach, Chibs pulled her into a tight embrace. Bella didn’t cry though. She sighed, a small smile on her face, and hugged her father tight, content with how things turned out. Chibs pulled back and cupped her face with his hands. “I’m going to pay my respects lass and then we can go.” Bella nodded and released Chibs so he could make his way over to the headstone. She didn’t hear what he said, but she had an idea. When they decided to stop at the graveyard on the way out, Chibs had expressed his desire to also say a few words to Charlie. He told her he needed this closure as well for if it hadn’t been for Charlie, Chibs would have never known his daughter.

                Clay’s sharp whistle broke the air once again drawing the men back to the bikes from where they had scattered to have a smoke or just give the father and daughter privacy. Opie and Jax embraced Bella and Leah then straddled their bikes. The roar of the engines scattered a flock of birds from the trees behind the graveyard and Bella swore she heard the howl of a wolf in the distance. “Catch ya later Charlie” she whispered as Clay whirled his hand and the procession of vehicles began the journey back to Charming.

\-----00000-----

                “So I looked at him and said,” Leah could hardly get the words out of her mouth she was laughing so hard, “I said SETH! You can’t feed a bird a piece of chicken! That’s like… like cannibalism!” Bella was laughing just as hard at the story that Leah was telling while trying to keep her eyes on the road. She was so glad that Leah had opted to stay in the truck with her for now. Eventually, Leah would switch over to Jax’s bike, but Bella would enjoy the company while she had it. The traffic had been mostly light but if there had been more, they would have been entertained by the two girls laughing and dancing in the truck, not caring if they were seen. Bella had already caught several curious glances from Opie and her father as they had trekked down the highway. They were just about halfway through their journey and even though they had started out early, it was now closing in on dinner time and Bella was exhausted and knew the guys had to be as well. She really hoped Clay changed his mind and they would stop for the night.

                Leah was wiping tears of mirth from her face and trying to catch her breath. She loved this, having a girl-friend that she could actually talk to. Since things went down with Emily, she hadn’t been able to open up to anyone like this and it was refreshing. Her gaze wandered out the front window and she squinted at the bikes in front of her. Clay, Jax, and Tig were in front of them with Chibs and Opie on either side and Bobby, Juice, and Half-Sack behind them. Something was off at the front. She could see Jax was almost completely focused on Clay and seemed to be yelling something at him. Leah saw everything almost in slow motion. Clay’s left hand slipped from the handlebar, dragging it slightly down and the front tired started wobbling dangerously. The next thing she knew, Clay’s bike tipped over, Jax and Tig swerved terrifyingly to avoid it, and Bella slammed on the brakes of the truck stopping just centimeters from the fallen man.

                Bella sat there for a second just processing what had happened before she unbuckled and jumped from the truck, Leah swiftly following. The guys were crowded around Clay and his bike, getting the heavy machine from on top of him. Leah bent down and checked him over. Thank goodness for the leather and tough jeans he wore. His top half was mostly unscathed and his legs were scraped up pretty good, but not bad enough to need a hospital. Chibs grabbed the first aid kit from the backseat of the truck and began to tend to his wounds with Leah assisting him. She had never been more thankful that her mother had insisted on first aid courses than that moment.

                “Damn Clay, what the hell happened?” Jax asked his stepfather, though he already had a pretty good idea. Clay sighed and replied. “Fuckin’ hands. I haven’t had my shots since we left and they seized up on me.” Jax just shook his head. Clay knew his hands were bad, why didn’t he bring his shots with him? The long ride was not good for them.

                Once Chibs and Leah got Clay patched up, they helped him stand and make his way to the truck. He settled into the passenger seat and leaned the seat back. The guys gathered around to figure out what to do now. “Well,” Jax said looking around. “We’re close to Rogue River. I’ll give Monroe a call.” Clay sighed. He really needed to get back to Charming. McKeavey was waiting on his confirmation that wares were going to be moving north and wouldn’t take his word over the phone. “A’ight, call him. Ask for an overnight, but no funny business tonight. We leave early in the morning again.” Clay’s voice was stern as he looked at Tig, who was visibly disappointed.

                Leah approached Bella and pulled her slightly away from the group. “You gonna be ok with him the truck? I can ride in the backseat with you if you want.” Bella bit her lip, glancing at the man in her truck. Honestly she didn’t want to be alone with him. After their confrontation yesterday morning, she had no desire to even speak to him again. She hadn’t told anyone else about it though, so she knew any protest on his riding with her would be seen as irrational. The guys knew of no reason she shouldn’t be alone with him either. So in the end, Bella shook her head. “No, it’s fine” she said. “It’s not that far anyways. Enjoy some time with Jax.”

                Leah blushed and embraced her friend. They watched as the guys carefully loaded Clay’s bike into the back of her truck. Jax pulled some tie downs from the backseat area of the truck and got it strapped quickly. Opie approached Bella, pulling her into a tight embrace. “Monroe says clubhouse is open for us. It’s not much, but they have a doc on hand that’ll check over Clay’s leg. It’s about 30 minutes from here, so we’ll be good. You ok?”

                Bella met Opie’s eyes with a small smile. “Yeah. Scared the hell outta me, but I’m just glad it wasn’t worse than it was.” Opie leaned down and kissed her sweetly. Bella would never get tired of those little moments of tenderness from him. For being so large and intimidating, Opie was truly a gentle soul. He could have turned out a lot harder and much more jaded than he was, but Bella was so thankful that he wasn’t. That feeling that she was trying to deny swelled inside her unexpectedly and the words were sitting on the tip of her tongue so much so, she was afraid Opie could taste them.

                They pulled away from each other slightly and just stared for a moment. There was no one else in their world as the feelings swirled around them. Opie had never imagined he would feel like this again. It was heady, the need he had for this woman. Not just physically because even if they hadn’t crossed that line, he needed her touch just as much. It was everything, her insight, her compassion and care, her mind. He knew he would be absolutely lost without her.

                Jax broke up the moment as he slapped Opie on the shoulder. “All set,” he said. He then turned to Bella and smiled. “We’ll go slow. The bike is strapped tight so there shouldn’t be any issues, but you never know. These roads are twisty so I don’t want to take any chances.” Bella nodded and gave Opie one more sweet kiss before climbing into the truck. She checked on Clay who was buckled and laying back in the seat with his eyes closed. _Good, maybe he won’t talk at all._ “You gonna stare at me, or crank this cage up? It’s getting stuffy as fuck in here.” His voice was brusque, his impatience with himself and the situation bleeding through. Bella cranked the truck up as the rumble of motorcycles surrounded them. With Jax and Tig in the lead, everyone took their previous positions and they began the short trek to the Rogue River clubhouse.

\-----00000-----

                Ten miles behind the biker convoy, a sleek black Mercedes S-Class convertible pulled back onto the highway. The driver maintained his distance as he observed the crew occasionally through binoculars. The phone rang beside him and he quickly pushed the answer button on the steering wheel. He hated the loud ringing in the speakers. “Where are you?” Jasper Cullen cringed at the shrill tone in his wife’s voice. He had totally forgotten to tell her that he would be gone longer than he expected.

                Inhaling deeply, he answered her. “Well at this point I’m almost to the Oregon/California border. Sorry, I meant to tell you darlin’. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” He heard her sigh before she responded. “I need you here. Something is going down on the res and it’s making Emmett jumpy which makes Rose agitated which makes Esme nervous and Carlisle weird. And Lord only knows where the hell Edward got off to.” She huffed and Jasper could practically see her rolling her eyes. “Now Alice, there’s nothing to worry about. We have the situation under control. Just worry about that last stack of cash that came in. We’re taking care of everything else.”

                Alice sighed (again… _God that was so annoying_ ). “Fine. Just be quick and I want an explanation as soon as you get back.” Jasper rolled his eyes and double checked his distance from the bikers in front of him. “Of course, sugar. I’ll be home soon. I love you.” He heard Alice’s indelicate snort at his nickname choice. “Love you too asshole.”

                Jasper hung up the phone and immediately dialed Edward. It rang for a while before he finally answered. “What?” Edward’s reply was slightly breathless and Jasper could hear shuffling and giggling in the background. “Sorry to interrupt your activities, I just wanted to let you know the leader wiped out. Looks like they’re going to be stopping for the night, probably at that charter in Rogue River.” There was a rustle of clothing over the line and some disappointed mewls. “Ok,” he replied. “Call Sawyer and Dane. They’re down in Medford, so they’re probably the closest. Let them know that subtlety is key. Grab her and go. No fucking around.” Jasper hummed in agreement. “Got it. Will let you know when it’s done.” Edward just said “Good” and hung up.

                Jasper grabbed the binoculars from the seat beside him and smirked as he checked the group again. He knew this wouldn’t be an easy task, but if it’s one thing Jasper loved, it was a challenge. _These assholes won’t know what hit them._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  A/N 2 – So what’s gonna happen? Will Jasper be able to take Bella from under SAMCRO collective noses? Or will they wind up biting off more than they can chew? I suppose we shall see! Don’t forget to drop me a line, I would love to hear from you!


	22. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella encounters something unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A bit shorter than normal, but I wanted to get this out and I found a good stopping point. THANK YOU once again for the follows/favs/reviews. They make me smile every time I open my email. Keep them coming! And now, on with the show

 

After a (thankfully) silent thirty minute ride, the members of SAMCRO pulled into their brother charter’s clubhouse lot in Rogue River. It wasn’t much really, just a dark wood strip club and large gravel lot. The door of the club opened revealing Monroe and Kace, the president and vice-president of the charter. The club backed their bikes in front of the building as Bella pulled as close to the front door as she could.

As soon as Bella killed the truck, Monroe opened the passenger door and slapped Clay on the back. “Well, while I don’t like the circumstances, damn good to see ya brother.” Clay chuckled. “Ah, it’s a’ight. Just glad you’re here.” Monroe nodded and helped the man get out of truck. “It’ll be a quiet night for y’all tonight,” Monroe told the older man. “Guys are on a charity run. Old Lady is 8 months along, couldn’t be leaving her. Just me and Kace here. Well and some _entertainment_ for you guys of course.” Clay smiled and patted him on the back. “Congrats man. Kids are something else. And thanks for that. Lord knows I need some _entertaining_.”

Bella tried her best not to gag at the comment as she exited the driver’s side of the truck and was immediately embraced by Opie. She relaxed into his embrace. While the ride might have been silent, the tension was downright palpable. Bella’s knuckles had been white as she gripped the steering wheel the entire ride. She was not only afraid of making the wrong move and saying something to offend Clay, but she was also afraid that she would make the tiniest little mistake and something would happen to the already damaged bike. She figured he would be the type that would be more pissed about something happening to his bike over something being said his wife about his infidelity.

The guys loaded into the clubhouse where the sweetbutts hanging around quickly supplied them with beers. “Pizza’s on the way. Sorry it ain’t homemade, but well ya get what ya get.” Kace said. Jax just waved him off and replied “Nah, we’re good. Just need food, beer, and a bed. Then we’ll be good to go!” The guys cheered in agreement while Monroe and Kace just shook their heads.

There was an air of relaxation about them as the night continued. Monroe and Kace headed to their homes after they had eaten. SAMCRO was now chilling with a few beers (except for Bella of course). Clay had already turned in for the night (with company once again, much to Bella’s chagrin) as had Chibs. Tig had broken out the weed the guys from La Push had given them and he, Half-Sack, Juice, and Bobby were nice and toasted in one corner of the room. Jax and Leah bid their goodnights to Opie and Bella and headed to the back. “I’m going to the bathroom, meet me in the room?” Opie asked. Bella nodded and watched him walk away.

The men in the corner let out a boisterous round of laughter in the corner and Bella smiled at them. They were such a motley group, but extremely loyal to one another. Bella felt right at home with the guys, but sometimes, like this right here, she got anxious. It wasn’t their fault really, but from time to time they would do something that would bring her back to the past. A crass word, a sudden angry outburst and Bella was back in that shitty apartment with her shitty mom and Renee’s equally shitty friends.

Tig was talking and laughing loudly about fighting someone named Kozik, Half-Sack was half falling out of his chair in laughter while Bobby and Juice leaned on each other heavily. Tig jumped on top of the table and started gesturing wildly about and stomping his feet. Suddenly, everything started closing in on Bella. The heavy smoke in the air reminded her of nights spent hiding as best as she could away from her mother’s friends. The loudness from the guys became laughter from her mother and her companions as they made fun of her and taunted her.

_You think anyone is going to want you? You’re nothing but a little tease. Not even pretty, who the hell would want your skinny ass. You don’t even have tits! Worthless bitch, why don’t you just fucking die!!_

Bella wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing tightly and shaking her head. _No, no she’s not here, they’re not here, it’s all in your head. Dad loves you, Jax and Opie love you. You’re safe. She’s not here Michael’s not here you’re safe it’s nothing, nothing nothing!_ She tried to reassure herself, but this time it wasn’t working. Her breathing started coming out in sharp huffs and pants, faster and faster until it was completely out of control. There was no control, it belonged to her mother. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated as she looked around the clubhouse. But it wasn’t the clubhouse, it was the last shitty apartment with the worn rug and broken blinds. And Michael was stalking towards her and she couldn’t escape. _NO NO!_ She had to go go go, now, now before he got her!

Turning in a circle, Bella didn’t notice the guys in the corner anymore. She was just looking for an escape. Finally spotting the front door, Bella dashed over to it and ran out. Stopping about 20 feet from the door, she leant over, hands on her knees. She breathed the cool Oregon air into her lungs, trying to calm her mind. Away from the smoke and noise, she was finally able to return to herself. Rationality came back. Yes, she was with those she loved. The guys wouldn’t hurt her, they were just a loud happy bunch. There was nothing to fear here, she was safe, protected.

At least that was how she felt until there was a sharp prick in her neck and darkness quickly engulfed her.

\-----00000-----

Sometime later, Bella regained consciousness and knew one thing: She was not at Rogue River anymore. She was curled up in something that was moving. Her hands were bound behind her back and it felt like her legs were duck taped together. There was something covering her entire head and secured right under her chin. It was breathable but made her feel claustrophobic. _Deep breaths Bella. Damn how stupid are you? Why the hell did you run outside?! I mean really!_ She continued berating herself for a little bit before stopping. It was getting her nowhere at all. She had to think.

_Ok, there’s nothing I can really do right now. I have no idea what direction we are going in, but we are moving pretty straight. The guys must have noticed I’m gone by now. They’ll be looking. Does Rogue River have cameras like we do? Cheese, I hope so. Please please please someone be looking. Opie, dad, Jax, someone PLEASE!_

Bella determined she was in a trunk when she felt the vehicle take a sharp right and she barely moved. Well, except for her head hitting the side panel. They traveled a little longer before abruptly pulling to a stop. She heard two doors open and slam shut and then loud voices. Someone seemed to be yelling which was returned by someone that sounded closer to the car. Bella couldn’t make out the words, but from what she could tell, the person that was further away was not happy with the two that exited the car.

Footsteps approached the vehicle and Bella cringed as they got closer to where she was trapped. She pulled her knees up to her stomach as much as she could and prayed that, by some miracle, the guys were there to rescue her. She heard the jingling of keys and the click of lock on the truck. The light behind the sack brightened a bit and fresh air wafted in. Bella breathed as deep as she could, trying to hold in her sobs.

“Really?! Are you kidding me?! No no no, this will not do.” An unfamiliar voice sounded above her. The gravel shifted under his feet as he turned, apparently addressing her kidnappers. “This is not how we treat women! They are to be respected and treated with care, not thrown in trunks like a bag of trash!”

The men that took her tried to say something, but were cut off abruptly by two gunshots. Bella heard the bodies hit the ground and she cringed. While she was glad those assholes were no longer an issue, there was still the matter of the man that killed them. He must have been the mastermind behind this and had ruthlessly taken out his henchmen, so what’s to say he wouldn’t just eliminate her on principle? But why? Why was she taken? She had no enemies, at least that she knew of. Was it something to do with the club? Did they have a beef with this guy?

“I’m terribly sorry. This is not how this was supposed to happen.” Bella’s thoughts were interrupted by a gentle voice. Bella didn’t answer him or move from where she was. She had no clue what was going on but she wasn’t going to answer him. “Here, I’m going to remove the bag, but you must promise no biting or spitting.” Bella just stayed still as she felt unfamiliar fingers fiddle with the drawstring of the bag, loosening it quickly and removing it from her head. Bella blinked at the light that blazed into her eyes from a lone light pole. They seemed to be parked directly under it. “There, that’s a little better.”

After her eyes adjusted, Bella took in the man standing over her. He seemed of average height, but there was something about him that just commanded obedience. His shoulders were wide and from what she could see, his waist narrow. His chin length hair glimmered golden under the light, similar to Jax’s and she noted a light dusting of freckles across the pale skin of his face. He was handsome, no doubt, and that made her even more wary. The man seemed to be trying to give her a reassuring smile, but there was something underneath it that she just didn’t trust.

The man reached to his belt and Bella cringed back as he pulled out a knife. “I’m just gonna cut that duck tape off your ankles hon, no need to worry.” He slowly lowered the knife to the silver material and in one strong swipe, ripped it in half. Bella sighed in relief as she felt the blood flowing liberally to her feet. She wiggled them around trying to get feeling back into them quickly. She needed them to be awake so she could maybe make a mad dash for freedom.

 _Yeah right,_ she thought to herself. _I have no clue where I am, no idea what other weapons this man has. He’s obviously dangerous if he killed the men who were tasked to take me._

Blondie, as she dubbed him in her mind, studied her for a moment. His frown grew as his eyes roved her body. She could only imagine how much of a mess she looked at this point. “Damnit, he’s gonna be pissed. At least I killed those assholes. They’re replaceable.” He muttered. Bella didn’t think she was supposed to hear that, but she was curious about who this “he” was. Someone evidently wanted her for whatever reason, but she was still blank as to why.

“Where are my manners? Mother would have my head.” Blondie grasped her right arm and pulled her into a sitting position. Bella’s head swam at the shift and it took her a moment to get her bearings. When her equilibrium returned, she looked around. They were in an empty lot, just a few pole lights dotting the area. She could see a large building in the distance, but nothing else but asphalt bordered by trees.

“What do you want? I have no money, neither does my family. I have nothing to give you. Please, just, just let me go. I promise, I won’t tell anyone. You can leave me here, I’ll find my way back, just…..don’t hurt me” Bella rambled for a moment. Blondie raised his eyebrow at her, almost in amusement. “Well hon, I can’t let you go, but I’m most certainly not going to hurt you. No, that would not do at all.” He sighed as if it was big burden to deal with her. “Nope, my brother would not like that one little bit. But!” he exclaimed, his voice brightening in what seemed like happiness. “I will put you in an actual seat inside my car and the ride back home will be much more comfortable. I’ll even move your hands to the front, but unfortunately, I am cannot leave unhindered right now. Can’t take the chance of you trying to hurt me! No telling what those… ruffians have taught you.”

He spoke as though they were going on a trip somewhere, but that was the last thing Bella wanted to do at this point. She dropped her face toward the ground, but kept her eyes wide open, peering through her hair to see if there was anything that she could use to get her out of this situation. There was nothing within reach of course. _Alright, time to think. I have to stall, give the guys times to figure something out. So what will it be: damsel in distress or badass bitch?_

He heard the sniffles and had to physically stop himself from rolling his eyes and facepalming. _You owe me HUGE brother!_ “Ok, ok hon, look no reason to cry. Hey, come on now,” he kneeled before her and reached for her face. She naturally flinched back from him. He sighed deeply again and nodded. “Look, I don’t think I’ve even introduced myself, have I Bella?”

Bella abruptly raised her head. “How do you know my name?” Blondie smirked at her. “I know a lot more about you than you probably think. For now, let’s just say we have a… mutual acquaintance.” When he reached her this time, she let him grab her arm again and pull her completely out of the trunk of the car. “My name is Jasper. And I’ll be escorting you home now.” Bella raised her eyebrows. “You are going to take me back to Charming? Why?”

Jasper chuckled. “Oh sweet Bella, you are going to be so much fun. No hon, we’re going to my home, back to Forks. I think you’ll like staying there.”

\-----00000-----

“WHERE THE HELL DID SHE GO?!?!” Opie had Half-Sack pinned to wall outside the Rogue River clubhouse. He had come out of the bathroom a few minutes ago and when he didn’t find Bella in the room they we given for the night, he went to the main room to find her. Only she wasn’t in there either. Tig, Bobby, Juice, and Half-Sack all thought she had gone to bed and were shocked that she hadn’t. They checked all the rooms inside (and saw way more of Clay’s ass than any of them EVER wanted to see), they were going to check outside. The bright lights of the parking lot provided them with enough illumination for them to look around. After looking for a few moments, Juice had called everyone over to a spot close to one of the light poles. He pointed out several sets of footprints and what looked like tire tracks pulling away from the lot.

Opie had immediately raged at the first thing he saw. Unfortunately, that was Half-Sack. The young Prospect could only stutter as he was faced with the large man’s rage. Opie’s face was red in fury and his grip tightened more and more with every passing second. That rage cooled marginally when a heavy hand slapped on to his shoulder. “Aye lad, that’ll do.” Chibs distinctive brogue cut through the rage and Opie dropped the prospect. Jax joined them, face red and squinched in anger. “None of y’all heard anything? No screams or squealing tires or anything?” The rage in Jax’s voice was barely contained and everyone knew he expected an answer.

The men who had been in the corner all shook their heads, looking shameful in their ignorance. They hadn’t even realized the door had opened until Opie figured out that Bella wasn’t inside. Juice followed the tire tracks through the lot and out to the road. “Looks like they went left,” he said, pointing south.

The roar of two bikes approaching pulled SAMCRO’s attention north. Monroe and Kace pulled into the lot and quickly dismounted. “Clay called, what do you think happened?” Monroe asked Chibs, who just shook his head. “No idea lads. Juice said the tracks went south. We’re gonna load up and see what we can find.”

Monroe nodded and waved at Clay, who was sitting at one of the picnic tables. Clay lifted his hand in return and scowled at the ground. He was anxious about this whole thing. It didn’t feel right. _What the hell has this girl gotten us into?_ He looked back up at the ground in time to see Leah approach Jax, looking nervous.

“Jax, I might have an idea. It didn’t seem like anything at the time, but it may be something.” Jax grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug. “Anything you can tell us could help, darlin’.” He held her for a moment, taking in her scent to try and calm himself. He needed a clear head right about now. Leah bit her lip as they walked over to the rest of the guys. “Hey, guys, it might be nothing, but then again, knowing this family, it might be dead on.” The men turned their attention to Leah who then told them about Bella and her encounter with Edward Cullen. She didn’t think it was as innocent as Bella tried to make it out to be.

“Aye, didn’t Sam mention something about the Cullens giving them trouble with crank down on the reservation?” Chibs asked. There were nods and murmurs of agreement around the group. Monroe looked to be deep in thought as well. “Ya know, I remember a few years ago, we heard something about some Cullens. They tried to set up here, but we kicked their asses out. Don’t need that shit around. It wasn’t Edward though. It was something else. Jaden? Jerry?” Leah’s head shot to him. “Jasper?” she asked.

Monroe nodded. “Yeah that was it. Last I heard they were heading south. Rumor had it, they set up a crank lab around Medford, but since they haven’t come back here, I haven’t really paid attention. It’s not even thirty minutes from here, so if it’s them, they haven’t gone far.” Chibs glanced down the road. “Well then lads, I think we have a direction, it’s time to get my daughter.”

The men jumped on their bikes and filed quickly off the lot and down the road. They peeled through the night like dark avenging angels sent to retrieve one of their own. And they would rain down their furry upon anyone standing in their way.


	23. Retrieve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N – Boy this chapter was harder than I wanted it to be. I can picture everything I wanted to happen clearly in my hand, it was getting it down that was the most difficult part. Hopefully I’ve gotten the point of the matter across. Once again I did entirely too much research including street views of the highways around Rogue River (and even took a tour through the town which was pretty interesting lol) to make sure I’m as accurate as I can be. Oh I updated chapter 22 to correct a few grammatical errors I noticed. Nothing major. Thank you all once again for the reviews/favs/alerts! They mean the absolute world to me!! Let me know what you think!

 

Bella sat in the passenger seat of the fancy car Jasper had arrived in, her hands thankfully in front of her now. Jasper hadn’t said much after introducing himself. He had moved her hands and locked her in the car while he made a call. She couldn’t make out much from the conversation, just the names Sawyer and Dane (who she figured were the assholes that took her) and something about sorry about the marks. He seemed relaxed while talking, so when he banged agitatedly into the car a few moments later she was surprised.

“Well, change of plans sugar,” he said. “We won’t make it to Forks. We’re gonna meet my brother at the Oregon/Washington border.” Jasper sighed heavily. He glanced around the lot and shook his head. “We’ll have to go back the way we came damnit.” Mumbling to himself, Jasper started the car and turned to Bella. “Don’t do anything stupid. I don’t want to have to shoot you. My brother would never forgive me. So if you see another vehicle, you duck. You see an airplane, a helicopter, a man on a tricycle, you duck the fuck down. Besides blood is hard to get out of a car.” He smirked wickedly at her as he put the car in gear.

All Bella could do was nod at the man. She still had no idea where she was going and what was going on so she was just going to comply and hope and pray that the guys were on their way. They sat in silence as Jasper pulled out onto the highway. He passed a sign that said Valley of the Rogue State Park. Bella noted it in case she needed in the future.

The highway was quiet that night, no other cars going north and only a random one passing them. Jasper kept the radio tuned to some country station and would occasionally sing along. His eyes were mostly on the road, but she caught him glancing at her a few times. “Ya know, I can see what my brother sees in you now. You are quite beautiful. I think it’s the eyes. He’s always had a thing for brown eyed girls, and yours seem very… expressive.” Bella turned her head to look at the dark landscape beyond the window in hopes of shutting the one sided conversation down. Jasper chuckled darkly. “Not a conversationalist I see. Ah, my darlin’ wife will take care of that.” He smirked in thought. “Well, if she doesn’t drive you crazy first.”

Bella continued to stare out the window, lost in her own thoughts. She wanted her dad here, now. She needed to see him. Of all the things Renee had made her endure, she had never been forcibly taken from her home and tied up. Sure, she had been locked in her room, sometimes a closet, numerous times, but there was something about being taken from a place you were supposed to be secure that made her insides cringe and her heart heavy. She had felt so helpless, overpowered in a way that she never wanted to feel again. They hadn’t even given her the chance to fight back. And she couldn’t fault the club or anyone else. Her dad had always made her feel safe. He’d never let anything happen to her. This wasn’t his fault, this was on her.

The realization hit her hard in the chest. If she had just stayed inside, just gone to the room like she was supposed to, none of this would have happened. She’d be in bed curled up with Opie, maybe learning more about his body and pushing her limits further. And then she’d be drifting off to sleep to dream of Kenny and Ellie growing up with Abel and a little brown haired girl with her daddy’s eyes and smile. But the tears dripping on her hand silently remind her that is not the current situation. She’s in a car, bound and scared, with a strange man who was tasked to bring her to a completely unknown future.

Wiping her face, Bella willed herself to stop those thoughts and refocus on what she was around her. The car was bare of course, nothing for her to grab and assault her “companion” with. And there were so many button on the door, on the console and dash that Bella was overwhelmed. She wasn’t even sure how to use the door handle. Not that she would right now. She knew they were travelling quickly and if she tried to fling herself from the car, she would just cause herself more injury and he would pick her up again.

Sighing quietly, Bella decided to close her eyes for the time being and try to process everything. It was too much, too fast and her head was positively swimming. She leaned heavily into the seat and sought the comfort of the expensive leather while she could. The ride remained mostly quiet. Which was just as well, it made the distant rumble of motorcycles that much easier for her to hear. She didn’t know if Jasper had heard them yet, but it was a familiar sound to her now. It sounded like family and safety and home and oh GOD please let them notice her. Her head was tucked down so her hair was in her face, Bella watched Jasper’s hands subtly tighten on the steering wheel as a cluster of lights started making their way towards the fancy car on the other side of the highway.

Bella held her breath as the lights got closer and closer. She thought there was 7 or 8 headlights which meant everyone was there except probably Clay. Glancing around the car again, her mind raced. She had to do something to get their attention. They were close now, she could see Opie was riding in the front by Jax this time instead of Tig. His height gave him away as did the glimpse of blond hair poking out from the helmet. Growing frantic as it seemed they hadn’t taken note of the car across the highway, Bella did the only thing she could think of. Shifting quickly, she raised her bound hands and slammed them down on the center of the steering wheel. She kept her hands there for as long as she could hoping the guys could hear it over the roar of their bikes.

“FUCK!! GODDAMNIT BITCH BACK OFF!!” Jasper yelled as he struggled to shove Bella off the horn. It was difficult because her arms were laid across his right side and he was having difficulty keeping control of the vehicle while using his left hand to push at her face. Bella let out a grunt as she kept her hands where they were. Jasper struggled a few more moments before the pressure she was applying to his arm became too much and his hand slipped off the wheel and hers fell off the horn. The car veered sharply to right, bouncing roughly on the shoulder before Jasper was able to right it.

Shoving Bella roughly back into her seat, Jasper maintained his speed. His face had turned from a friendly demeanor to a something that was downright dangerous. It wasn’t subtle anymore, this man had become incredibly hostile. “Oh you are going to pay for that you stupid cunt. Just you wait.” His right hand clenched into a fist as he raised it. Just before it reached her face, she saw the bright lights of her saviors flood the car from behind, the rumble of engines was getting closer by the second. And then his fist connected with her head and she was out.

\-----00000-----

The highway had been dark for their ride. It was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because any car they passed could be examined at their leisure, a curse because they could not see much beyond the road in front of them. They couldn’t make out anything on the side roads, but they didn’t think that would be a problem. The Sons of Anarchy, Redwood Originals were heading towards Medford to retrieve one of their own and deliver vengeance on her behalf.

Opie had one goal in mind: get Bella back. He didn’t care what he had to do or who he had to tear through. She would be in his arms again. Opie knew he loved Bella, though he had never admitted it to her. And he felt that she loved him too. That was the first thing he was going to do when he got her back: tell her he loved her, more than he ever thought he could love anyone, especially after what Donna had put him through.

His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of headlights coming towards them. He glanced at Jax, who had been tense with worry since they left the parking lot. He and Chibs had shared a silent fury at whoever had taken Bella. It was a side of them that Opie had only seen a few times in the past and he knew that once that fury was unleashed, there was no stopping it.

The headlights were bright and Opie took note of the fancy looking car. It was a sleek, black Mercedes and there looked to be two people inside. As they got closer, there was a sudden movement inside and the horn started blaring loudly in the quiet night. Opie sat completely straight in his seat, studying the car as best he could. In the dim lights from the dash of the car, he could make out brown hair waving around. “BELLA!” he screamed. His brothers around him spread out slightly to get a better look at the car.

The horn stopped sounding just as the car started to swerve. Opie slowed just enough to bring his bike across the median, the rest of the Sons not far behind him. He pulled the throttle on the handlebar tightly. He could see through the tiny back window a fist raise up and swing down into the passenger seat. The rage grew exponentially and Chibs caught up to him. Opie glanced at the older man and they nodded at each other, both of the same mind. It was time to get this asshole.

\-----00000-----

Jasper started cursing as he turned his eyes from the girl beside him back to road. He glimpsed the group behind him and stepped harder on the gas. He hoped that bikes weren’t too modified and he could lose them through speed alone. There wasn’t anywhere else to really go on this stretch of highway except off road and he be damned if he tore up this car.

He debated calling Edward, but there wasn’t anything he could really do. They had no help in Rogue River and he couldn’t turn around to Medford. Glancing at his gas gauge he cursed again. _Why didn’t I fill up last night??_ His mind raced, trying to come up with a solution. He knew if they caught up with, his ass was grass.  Pressing down on the pedal again, Jasper raced on. His only hope was to quickly outrun these fuckers.

But it was not meant to be. Jasper had severely underestimated his foes as not even ten miles later, one of the bikes was gaining up him on his left and his gas light had come on. He glanced in the side mirror and saw a hulking figure catch the tail end of car. The man’s face was angry, ready to tear him apart.

_Well shit. Alice is gonna be pissed I ain’t making it home._

\-----0000-----

The brake lights coming from the tail of the car startled Chibs. He was pulling up on the right side of the Mercedes, just a few inches behind Opie. He had to brake hard and swerve slightly when the car started to drift onto the shoulder. It rolled to a stop and was quickly shut off. Chibs killed the bike beside Opie as the rest of the Sons pulled up behind them. There was no movement inside the car yet and it made them wary.

“Chibs, you go on the passenger side. Get our girl outta there. Ope and I will take the driver” Jax said. Chibs eyed him for a moment and Jax knew what he wanted. “Our priority is getting Bella to safety. We will hold him for you. You’ll get your licks, don’t worry.” Chibs nodded at the younger man and went to stand on the passenger side of the car. Bobby and Tig walked around to the front of the car while Juice and Half-Sack stood at the rear. Monroe and Kace remained by the bikes, keeping an eye on the roadway. They drew their guns at the same time, holding them securely. Chibs looked at Jax and Opie and they nodded and approached the doors.

Chibs reached for the handle at the same time as Opie. With coordination that only comes from years of working together, they swiftly opened the doors. Jax reached in and grabbed the guy in the driver seat as Chibs kneeled down to Bella’s level. Her head was tilted slightly to her right, a bruise already forming on her left temple. He watched her chest rise and fall for a few moments before he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive, just unconscious. He took her pulse and felt her head before he noticed her bound hands. Thankful that it was just duck tape, he drew one of the knives from his vest and quickly tore through it. Her hands were red and he massaged them to get the blood flowing and frowned when there was no reaction from Bella. She should have at least stirred, but she hadn’t moved. He leaned out of the car and motioned Monroe over to him.

“I need a vehicle. The lass ain’t wakin’ up and she won’t be able to ride out of here.” Monroe nodded and responded “I’ll head back to the clubhouse and get her truck if that’s ok?” Chibs nodded and turned back to Bella. He moved her head to the side a little bit, but still there was no reaction. There was nothing to do about it now, he had a cocksucker to grill.

Opie and Jax had drug the man around to the front of the car. He was on his knees, hands raised with Opie’s gun to the back of his head. He hadn’t moved or said anything at all which was probably in his best interest. Chibs called Juice over to stand by Bella with strict instructions to get him if she woke up. He approached the man slowly, pulling his other knife from the vest he wore underneath his kutte. He tossed the knives in the air, spinning them slightly, before catching them easily by the handles. He did this a few times while pacing in front of the man. “You know,” he said, voice calm and deceptively quiet. “Taking things that don’t belong to you is called stealing. And we all know stealing is wrong. Ain’t that right Jackie-Boy?”

The blond on the right lifted the corner of his mouth in a snarl. “Yeah, that’s right.” Opie moved to the left side, arms crossed with his gun tightly gripped in his right hand. Chibs continued his pacing for a few more moments before speaking again. “Right, so we have a thief here. And I want to know what the fuck you want with me daughter?”

Jasper shook his head and chuckled humorlessly. “Dude, I am merely a delivery boy. I had nothing to do with her getting taken, I’m just delivering a package.” Chibs glared at him and suddenly tossed one of his knives in to the ground between his legs, grazing the pants that were, thankfully for him, loose enough to where he wasn’t injured. But his eyes did widen as he took in the angry Scotsman. _Alright, no fucking around with this guy._

“Look,” Jasper tried again. “I’m sorry. I was just doing my brother a favor. He asked me to pick something up. I didn’t realize it was going to be a girl. I was just about to call him when you assholes rolled up on me.”  His face was contrite but Chibs didn’t miss the little gleam in his eye. This fucker knew exactly what he was after.

“Look, what’s your brother’s name? We need to have a…” Chibs stroked the edge of the knife still in his hand, “little chat with him.” Jasper chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, like Imma tell you that.” He sighed deeply. _Sorry Alice._ He thought. “Yeah,” Jasper sighed. “Not gonna happen.”

Chibs nodded, having expected that answer. He glanced at Opie and Jax. “You get his phone?” Jax nodded holding up the smart phone. “It’s locked, but I’m sure Juice can hack it.” Jasper just hung his head. “Right then.” Chibs tossed the knife up one more time. When it came down, he grabbed the handle and swiftly tossed it straight into Jasper’s chest. “Damn, aim is off, must be getting old. Meant to hit the neck." Opie and Jax chuckled as Jasper gasped for breaths that weren’t coming. Chibs reached down and plucked the knife out of the ground. He leaned closely into Jasper’s face, brown meeting blue. Chibs just watched him for moment. For someone so stupid as to try and take his daughter, his eyes were full of intelligence and wisdom. He was an old soul for sure. Jasper’s eyes flashed with a moment of fear, but then came the acceptance. Chibs could feel the short puffs of breath leave the man’s lips as he continued to struggle to breathe. “I want my face to be the last you see. You took my daughter, had her tied up, hit her.” Chibs’ voice was tightly controlled, his accent getting heavier with every word. “I will deal with you, but I’ll let her Old Man deal with your brother.”

Chibs leaned back slightly and plunged the second knife directly into the man’s heart. Jasper immediately went limp, falling backwards awkwardly. His eyes were blank and blood was trickling out of his chest on to the ground. Pulling the knives from his chest, Chibs stood and wiped them off with a bandana from him back pocket. “Tig, you clear the car?” The curly haired man nodded and replied “Yeah, just a duffle bag with a few clothes, a snazzy pair of shoes, a pair of sunglasses that I WILL be keeping, and a wallet.” He pulled the license from the wallet and read it out. “Jasper Cullen, April 17, 1977, hey he’s a donor! Address 2984 Calawah Way, hey!” Tig glances over to Chibs. “This fucker’s from Forks!”

The guys exchanged glances as they absorbed that information. This meant that Leah’s hunch was correct. Suddenly, the phone in Jax’s hand rang. “Edward” he said. Chibs grabbed the phone from his hand, answering it and putting it directly on speaker phone.

_“Where the fuck are you? I almost there!”_

“Aye lad, you’ll probably be waiting a bit longer than that.” The Scots voice was still low and gravelly. He couldn’t see it, but the man on the other end of the line actually shivered.

_“What the fuck did you do to my brother?”_

Chibs’ chuckled at the fear he could hear in the voice. “Aye now, nothin’ he didn’t deserve. He shouldn’t touch what isn’t his.”

_“You son of a bitch! I’m going to skin and gut you! NO ONE TOUCHES MY FAMILY!! There was a girl with him, my fiancé. Where is she?! Where’s Bella?”_

All the men’s spine stiffened at the douchebag attempting to lay claim to one of their own. Opie marched over to Chibs and grabbed the phone from his hands. “Listen here you asshole,” the angry growl undeniable. “That woman is not yours. If anyone will be marrying her, it will be me. I’m the one that’s going to love her, that’s going to fuck her, give her everything she ever wants and needs.” He pauses a moment trying to calm his breathing down. He was so tired from the long ride, so angry that this whole thing even happened. He just wanted to go to bed with Bella wrapped around him. “If I ever see you, glimpse you, hell if I fuckin’ even THINK you will be anywhere near Bella, I will strap you up, cut off your fingers, then your toes, then slowly dismember you. Then I’ll ground you into fish food and gladly feed the fish at the lake. Do you understand me?”

_“Crystal clear.”_

The voice was tight as though the man was clinching his teeth. The screen of the phone flashed indicating he had hung up. Opie was still seething, not even thinking about what he had just said. Chibs clamped his hand on the bigger man’s shoulder, startling him out of his rage. The red faded from his vision and he looked a little shameful. “Sorry, I know I got carried away there for a moment.” Chibs just shook his head and smiled ruefully. “It’s ok boyo. I knew what ya meant.” He cocked an eyebrow at Opie and shook his finger in his face. “Doesn’t mean I ever want to hear it, see it, or even fuckin’ imagine it. Keep it to yerselfs.” Opie smiled slightly and nodded.

Just as Jax was instructing Half-Sack to get the body into the trunk of the car, headlights hit them from across the highway. They stiffened for a moment before realizing it was Monroe returning with Bella’s truck. He pulled across the median and in front of the car. Jumping out, he approached Chibs and Opie. “The straps are still in the back so we can load up your bike.” Chibs and Opie exchanged glances with the younger man nodding at Chibs. “She’ll want to see her dad when she wakes up.” Chibs breathed a silent sigh of relief before walking to his bike to get it ready to load up.

Juice carefully extracted Bella from the car as Half-Sack finally got the asshole situated in the back. He carried her to the truck and got her settled in the passenger seat and buckled up. She still hadn’t budged, but she was breathing and didn’t appear to be in any distress. Chibs, Jax, and Opie loaded up the bike and strapped it down. “Juice, Sack, you guys take of the car. Plenty of mountain roads around. Sure would suck if he rolled right off one” Jax told them. They chuckled lightly before Juice climbed in the driver seat and Half-Sack jumping on his bike to follow. They’d come back for Juice’s bike once they were done.

Chibs patted Opie on the back and made his way to the driver’s side of the truck. “Come on lads, let’s get back to the clubhouse. We all need some rest. Long ass ride tomorrow.” The men all nodded and mounted their bikes, thoughts of the clubhouse and a few more hours of sleep firmly on their minds.

\-----00000-----

Five hundred miles north, loud crashes could be heard coming from a house tucked back into the woods. People rarely went down that road, but if they had, they would have witnessed a tantrum that would have made any three year old proud. Objects were flying around the room with very few actually hitting their target. Vases, pillows, picture frames, shoes, nothing was safe from angry hands or feet.

Alice Cullen was furious.

She was normally the sweetest one in the family. It all came down to her looks really. Short, with pixie cut dark hair and startling green eyes, Alice looked very sweet and innocent. It was something that she used to her advantage. No one expected the woman to talk you completely out of your savings to “invest” in her “business”. She slipped in and out of situations with ease and had almost a psychic instinct when it came to laundering and investing the money made by her family.

And she was used to getting her way. Jasper could never tell her no, neither could his family. It was something she had honed growing up in that damn orphanage in Mississippi. She managed to get her own room and the best of the clothes they got. But she never had to do chores, never had problems with the other orphans. Alice really had no desire for a family at the time. Why bother trying to fit in with a family that would never completely get her when she had everything she needed right where she was? As soon as she was 18, she hit the road, making her way north on her wit and charm. She was in a diner in Pittsburg one day when in walked her true salvation. The moment she met Jasper Cullen, she knew she had hit the jackpot. Not only was he handsome, he screamed money and danger, two of Alice’s favorite things. So they struck up a conversation over coffee and wound up talking for hours until the diner was closing and he was inviting her back to his hotel room. The rest was history.

Alice loved her husband fiercely. He perfectly balanced her when she got a little too crazy and she soothed his inner demon when anger overwhelmed him. They had plans for their future: travel and shopping all around the world. Maybe a kid or two in about ten years.

But now?

NOW?!

Now, because of Jasper’s stupid, obsessive, asshole brother, her husband was DEAD. GONE! Edward knew Jasper would do anything for him and used that to his advantage. Her husband was dead because Edward wanted a girl that had zero interest in him.

“I fucking told you Edward! That girl is TROUBLE! Can you see that now? Your brother is GONE because YOU sent him to RETRIEVE HER!” Alice’s voiced echoed throughout the home. The rest of their family had retreated to the kitchen, the room furthest away from Alice’s room and thus her anger.

“Look, Alice, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that shit was going to go down like it did. I honestly had no idea things would get this crazy.” Edward tried to plead his case, but it wasn’t going to work on her.

Alice stared at him incredulously. “REALLY?! What the fuck did you expect when you decided to pursue someone who was the daughter of a member of a MOTORCYLCE GANG that you KNOW has ties to the IRA?! She had made her disinterest PERFECTLY CLEAR!! YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT WELL ENOUGH ALONE!!” A picture frame flew past Edward’s ear, slamming into the wall, glass shattering and falling to the ground.

Edward just hung his head in shame. He knew it wrong to send his brother after the girl, but there was something that was drawing him to Bella Telford and who was he to ignore the call? If anything he shouldn’t have trusted anyone else to this task. He should have gone himself. But lesson learned, time to move on and get it done right.

“I know Alice, I know. I will do my best to make this up to you and our family.” He sighed and looked up at the woman. “For now, let’s take a breath and mourn Jasper. We have a lot to do and this is not helping.”

Alice just glowered at him for a moment before dropping her face into her hands and sobbing. Edward approached her and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I’ll make this better, I promise.” He whispered into her hair. She didn’t respond, just continued to cry. Edward rocked her back and forth until she calmed down. He helped her back into the bed she had been asleep in before all the drama. As he left the room, he flipped the light switch and shut the door.

_Don’t worry Alice. I’ll get them back for you. They will suffer and I will have Bella for my own._


	24. Return

**Disclaimer: I haven’t done one in a while. None of this is mine. Most characters belong to Stephenie Meyers and Kurt Sutter. I’m just playing with them.**

Chapter 24

Bella awoke to the sound of heavy boots passing outside the door. She blinked the sleep from her eyes and rubbed her face, hissing when her hand passed over the bruise on her temple. A door opened to her left and she glanced over to see Opie come out of the bathroom. “Hey, how you feeling?” he asked.

Scrunching her face, she thought a moment. “Like I’ve been run over by a Mac Truck.” She chuckled mirthlessly. “Suppose I look about the same.”

Opie chuckled and stroked a finger down her cheek. “Nah, you’re still gorgeous.”

Bella blushed and sat up on the bed. She gingerly got off and headed into the bathroom. After she took care of her morning routine, she reentered the bedroom. Opie was sitting on the edge of the bed and he beckoned her over. She stood between his legs as he rested his hands on her hips. “Seriously Bells. Are you ok?”

She could see the concern and anxiety in his eyes. She smiled at him. “Yeah, Ope. I’m sore and have a monster headache, but I think I’ll be ok.”

Opie rested his head between her breasts and took a deep breath. “I was so scared,” he mumbled. He looked back up at her. He studied her face a moment, reaffirming everything he had felt the night before. “I love you.”

Bella’s eyes widened at his admission. Only one other person had said those words to her: her dad. All her life, it was a feeling she didn’t understand, but it was one that she craved. Now she knew exactly what it was.

It was never giving up years of searching.

It was reaching out to the one person who could possibly understand and help no matter the consequences of that action.

It was bringing a stranger into a home, a family that just accepted that stranger for just being blood.

It was chasing down an insane man to rescue someone.

But it was the little things too. Late night talks, cuddles on the couch, video games, and random food fights. It was appreciation, respect, acceptance.

It was everything she was being offered in her new life in Charming. And she would be a fool to waste it.

“I love you too, Harry.”

Opie smiled at the use of his first name. It was something only she (and occasionally his Pop when he was mad) got away with. He pulled her flush to his body and connected his lips with hers. It was amazing how one person, so young and innocent, could make him feel the happiest he had ever been. Even with Donna there had always been some source of contention. But now? There was nothing but peace and happiness.

A banging on the door drew them apart. “Ya best be up! Clay wants to leave in twenty. The voice of her father was loud and clear. The couple smiled at each other. Opie stood and grabbed the bag from the side of the bed. He took her hand as they made their way out the door.

They had a quick meeting over coffee to explain to Bella what happened the night before. Bella reassured Juice, Tig, Bobby, and Half-Sack that it wasn’t their fault and thanked them for helping find her. They told her how they got rid of Jasper and warned Edward off of her. She shivered at the thought of what could have happened if Jasper had gotten her back to Washington. It was not something she really wanted to imagine.

They decided Leah would drive the remaining part of the trip home. It was only another six hours. Chibs gave Bella some Tylenol for the aches and told her to rest. Clay was ok to ride so after thanking Monroe and Kace they lined up and began their trek south.

\-----00000-----

Leah was quiet for the first hour of the drive. Bella dozed in and out, but on her last bout of wakefulness, she notice Leah biting her lip and drumming excessively on the steering wheel. “Hey.” Leah jumped at Bella’s quiet greeting and glared at the younger woman. Bella chuckled. “What’s on your mind?”

Leah sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just … anxious.” Her fingers continued their nonsensical pattern. “I mean, yeah it’s sudden and all, but this thing with Jax?” She shook her head. “It’s intense and insane. Seriously! Come on, who in their right mind really just jumps on a bike, or well I suppose in a truck in this case, and hauls ass hundreds of miles south to be with someone? And that’s not even taking into account that from what he’s said, his mother can be a bit controlling and he has a sick kid!” Leah was panting by the end of her rant. Bella sat silent, just letting her get it all out.

“Tell me, what am I supposed to do with that? I’m 22! I have no idea how to be a mother! What if he doesn’t take to me? It’s gonna be pretty obvious that I’m not his mother.” She ran her fingers through her dark hair. “What if he resents me or won’t listen or …”

Bella put a calming hand on Leah’s arm. “Hey, deep breaths! You’re gonna stress yourself for no reason.” She waited until Leah had calmed down a bit. “Now I know this ‘thing with Jax’ is sudden and crazy, but does that make it any less real? Does it feel right? Do you see a future with him, being by his side?”

Leah thought a moment and nodded. “Yeah, I do. We talked a lot about our lives, our past, and I know we don’t know everything about each other yet. But he’s expressed his desires to move beyond the past and not let his mistakes define him, but bolster him to a better future. He’s dedicated to giving his son the best life possible.” She paused a moment, a soft smile on her face. “And that’s the brilliance of it. We have years to get to know each other. It’s not gonna be perfect I know, but it’s going to be great. So yeah, I do see that future. I see beyond anything I could have ever previously imagined. It’s scary and exciting and I can’t wait!”

The smile that was on Leah’s face just lit up the truck. Bella smiled back at her. “And as far as Abel is concerned, don’t worry. I don’t think Jax will pressure you to do more than you want or can do. It’s something that we’ve talked about before. He knew he wasn’t going to be with Abel’s mother, regardless of the fact that she passed away when he was born. I made him understand he had to be cautious about being with someone around Abel. He had to think with more than just his dick.” They both laughed. Bella turned her gaze to the man in question in front of them. He was swerving his bike gently, just enjoying the ride. “And when Abel comes home, I have no doubts that instinct will kick in when you are around him. You’ll be fine. Abel has a fighter’s spirit and a willing heart. Show him love and he will return it to you. Plus, you’ll have me and Jax and Opie and … well Gemma will be there whether you want her to be or not.”

They laughed again at that. Bella wasn’t sure what Jax had told her about his mother, but there wasn’t any real way to prepare Leah for what she would be walking in to there.

The hum of the engines surrounding them filled the cab of the truck as Leah thought about Bella’s words. Finally, she nodded her head. “You’re right of course. No reason to stress. If nothing else, I’ll sleep on your couch.”

Bella smiled at Leah and a sense of relief engulfed them. Leah because she needed the reassurance, Bella because she was happy for her friends. Leah was escaping the tension in La Push and Jax was finally getting some one that could challenge and keep up with him. Really, it was a perfect match.

\-----00000-----

They had stopped at the clubhouse for a debriefing and then everyone split up, eager for their own beds. It was an odd feeling pulling into the driveway in Charming. Never having a true “home” to go to, she didn’t expect to feel the overwhelming sense of relief upon seeing the little blue door set in the front porch. But it made Bella smile that much bigger. She turned that smile to Leah who gave her a tentative one back.

Moments later, the roar of three bike jolted them. Opie, Chibs, and Jax pulled up behind the truck and killed their engines. Quick embraces were exchanged, even though they had just seen each other moments before. Jax and Opie grabbed the girls’ bags (mostly Leah’s) as Chibs opened the front door.

Leah openly admired and complemented Chibs on the place. “Aye, it ain’t much, but it’s home. I had Gemma bring over an air mattress. At least ye’ll have something for now.”

Leah thanked him and followed Bella into her bedroom. Jax and Opie put the bags on the bed before Jax turned to her. He took her hand and pulled her back out of the house. “Are you sure you want to stay here?” he asked her. “I have a spare bedroom and I could stay at the clubhouse. It’s where I’ve been for months anyway.”

Leah just shook her head. “No, that’s still your space. You need to get it cleaned up for Abel.”  
Jax grimace in thought. “Yeah, from what mom and Bella said it was a wreck. And I’m more than sure ma has already started on that.”

Leah laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist. “This is still just so bizarre. Bella has been really good at explaining things to me and helping me make sense of it all. So it’s really better I stay here.” She bit her lip. “Besides, I don’t think your mother would appreciate some random woman at your house. I don’t want to piss her off before I’ve even met her.”

She felt his laughter rumble through his chest into her ear. “True.” He pulled back enough to look into her light brown eyes. _Whiskey._ “I promise, it’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry about it. She’s gonna love you.” He stroked her cheek. “This is gonna work. We’ll go whatever pace you want. Just know this.” He tilted her face a little closer, eyes still locked. “You are mine. I will do everything in my power to keep you here and happy.” He pressed his lips to her gently, stealing her ability to think momentarily.

When he pulled away, Leah held his gaze for a few more moments. “Just remember, it goes both ways.” She was nervous about this part of the conversation. They had discussed his past before, but putting her insecurities into words was intimidating. “Look, I’m not dumb. I know what goes on at the clubhouse. All I ask is you respect me and just … Keep it in your pants, ok? Jackoff if you need to, but I don’t think I could stand it if you …” she bit her lip to stop herself from babbling.

Jax sighed, knowing that he should have seen this coming. Leah had literally give up her entire life for him, as asshole who didn’t really deserve it. “I know nothing I say right now will reassure you, but I am _going_ to prove it to you. No other girls, only you.”

One more hug and kiss and Jax reluctantly made his way to his bike. The rumble of the engine shot through her and she watched as he gave her one more nod and then was gone. _Please let this be the right decision._  Watching just a moment more, Leah turned to go back into the house.

\-----00000-----

Clay sat that the head of the table in the chapel, smoking his cigar. He was glad to be home, sure as hell missed his bed. Plus, having Gemma around to at least suck him off was a big bonus. No one could suck a dick quite like his wife.

But Clay was preoccupied. There was something about this Bella girl that had him on edge. She seemed to have everyone eating out of the palm of her hand and that was dangerous. Not to mention all the bullshit that went down the night before. No gash was worth that. He would’ve ordered them to forget about it if it was anyone else that was taken. But Chibs was loyal to the club and his VP seemed to have bonded with her. Anything that could possibly upset him would also possibly upset his wife. And Clay didn’t need that bullshit. So no, he let them go and save the bitch.

Didn’t mean she had to be kept around. Accidents happened right?

Clay smirked in thought. This girl was going to be nothing but trouble and who could blame him for wanting to eliminate a problem before it became something beyond his control. He needed intelligence on this Cullen family. He felt that they were the key to getting rid of her.

“Juice!” he called out into the clubhouse. What good was having an intelligence officer if he didn’t get used? Clay smiled wickedly as the mohawked man came in the room. “Shut the doors, I need some info and I need it to be between you and me.”

\-----00000-----

“Opie, where in the hell are we going?” Bella was frustrated. They had been home for three days and both Opie and Jax had been busy and secretive. Normally she would have brushed it off as something to do with the club, but even Chibs was mum about it. They were constantly coming and going and it was driving both Leah and Bella insane. Hell, Jax hadn’t even been around the first time Leah met Gemma!

And that was an experience and a half.

_Flashback_

_The doorbell ringing woke Bella and Leah up from dead sleep. They had stayed up late the night before talking about everything. So it was a grumpy Bella who flung the door open, far too early that morning._

_“Well, don’t you look like shit.”_

_Bella rolled her eyes, barely restraining a groan, but then froze._ Shit, Jax, where the fuck are you?! _Gemma was here and about to meet Leah whether they were ready to meet or not._

_“Hey Bella, I’m gonna jump a shower real quick, then we need to hit the pavement.”_

_Leah’s voice echoed down the hall and Gemma raised one eyebrow, staring at Bella. “Didn’t know you swung that way. Bet Opie is excited.”_

_Bella was still frozen as Leah’s voice sounded again, this time much closer to the living room. “Bella, you hear me?” She finally unfroze as she saw Leah entering the room from the corner of her eye._

_Now both of Gemma’s eyebrows were at her hairline. Bella finally released the groan she had been holding and buried her face in her hands        ._ At least Leah’s fully dressed. Well, nothing for it then.

_“Gemma, this is Leah Clearwater. She came back with us from La Push. Leah, this is Gemma Morrow, Jax’s mom.”_

_Leah’s eye widened as she took in the woman before her. Only one word was running through her mind: statuesque. She totally understood why Bella was impressed with the woman from the first time she met her. She looked like the epitome of a biker queen in skin tight black pants, low cut top, leather jacket, and perfectly made up face and hair. Leah felt like a complete bum in her short night shorts and tank top with her hair all wild and what was probably the worst case of morning breath she’d ever had._

_“Bella,” Gemma’s voice was ice cold as she turned from Leah to bore holes in the younger woman’s head. “I know you know the rules. Road pussy stays on the road. It doesn’t follow home.” Her piercing gaze returned to Leah who felt like she was being stripped bare in front of them._

_As the words sunk in though, Leah found her ire and her blood began to boil. “Look, you don’t know me or the situation. You have no right-“_

_“I have EVERY RIGHT!” Gemma cut Leah right off. “These are MY boys, this is MY family. I don’t know who you followed down here, but you need to take your ass back up to the woods. Who was it? Juice? That little Rican likes him some dark meat. Not as much as Bobby does but I don’t think anybody would want his fat ass enough to follow him home.”_

_Bella jumped as Leah’s unexpected laughter rang through the house. The ridiculousness of those statements eased her indignation just a tad. “Oh … my … God …” she managed to that much out through a few more chuckles. “No wonder he was nervous.” Leah wiped at her eyes, finally regaining her breath. “Thanks, I needed that.” She smiled disarmingly at the older woman who just blinked owlishly back. “See now I would ‘take my ass back up to the woods’ as you so eloquently put it. But I think your son would probably protest that considering he was the one who invited me down and arranged for my stay.”_

_Gemma’s eyes widened as she glanced between Leah and Bella, trying to see the truth of the situation. Bella nodded at her and Gemma’s gazed turned more critical of the “intruder”._

_“And FYI, I’m not ‘dark meat’. I’m Native American and damn proud of it!” Leah drew up to her full height (an inch over Gemma, even with her sky high heels) and glanced over at Bella. “I’m going to shower and get ready. Then you need to show me around so I can find a job.”_

_Bella nodded and watched Leah disappear down the hall. She turned back to Gemma whose expression had changed to thoughtful. “Huh,” she muttered. “Well, certainly better than the junkie whore.” Gemma smiled tightly at Bella. “Seems I need to have a discussion with my son. At least I know now why you needed the air mattress.” Gemma shook he head, waving her hand about for a second as if brushing the thoughts away from her mind. “Anyway, I wanted to make sure that you got settled back okay. Clay told me what happened.”_

_Bella smiled genuinely at the older woman and nodded. “Yeah, it’s all good.” They talked a few more minutes until they heard the shower cut off. Exchanging brief hugs, Gemma took her leave. She has a really large bone to pick with her son._

_End Flashback_

Jax had at least done a decent job of explaining things to Gemma. There was a tentative truce between her and Leah as they felt each other out. Bella had hope though.

That was two days ago and they had barely seen either man in the time since. Leah was still job hunting and of course Bella was helping with Kenny and Ellie but the guys were M.I.A. Even Chibs was hard to pin down.

“Don’t worry, babe. You’ll see when we get there.” Opie chuckled at Bella’s frustration. He was taking a very roundabout route to the clubhouse. But Bella was blindfolded, so she really had no clue.

Finally, he pulled Bella’s truck into the club/garage parking lot and killed the engine. He quickly exited and went around to help her out. He led her to the clubhouse door, her grumbling all the way. He opened the door and ushered her in. Opie glanced around and the removed the blindfold from her eyes.

“SURPRISE!!”

Bella was stunned. Not at the fact she was at the clubhouse or the entire club was standing before her. Not at the decorations and presents and cake she could see on the table. No, it was so much more than that,

“Happy late birthday, babe.” Opie whispered in her ear. Bella turned to him, tears swimming in her eyes. Opie cringed back, afraid he had done something wrong. “Shit, babe, I’m sorry! It’s too much isn’t it? Damnit, come on, we’ll leave.” He took her hand to pull her out the door, but she didn’t budge.

“NO!” she yelped. “No, Ope please?” She looked up at him, eyes pleading. “I just … I never had a birthday party before. Or cake or presents or anything. Never had anyone actually spend time on it for me ya know?”

Opie glanced at Chibs to see the older man clenching his fists. He should have thought about that. But he and Jax and Chibs we so excited to be able to for this for her. They didn’t realize how it might be a bit overwhelming for her.

Bella placed her hand on his cheek. “Hey.” He looked back into her eyes, so beautiful and expressive. “Thank you.” She turned to the rest of the room. “Thank you all so much. This … honestly means more to me than you will ever know.”

One by one everyone greeted her with hugs and kisses on the cheek. As the night wore on, presents were opened, cake was eaten, and everyone danced. Bella had never felt so happy in her life. She couldn’t believe that this was her family, that she was home and life could really be this good. From everything she had experience with her mother, it shouldn’t be real. _This is real. Renee can’t hurt me anymore. No one can._

\-----00000-----

Jax lead Leah down the hallway to the NICU at St. Thomas Hospital, Bella following close behind. It was Leah’s first meeting with Abel and she was extremely nervous. She was grateful though that Bella was there with her for this. Jax was a good support, but Bella had become the rock she needed.

They stopped at the nurses’ station and got an update on the little boy. Abel was getting stronger every day, his surgeries had been successful. Now it was just a matter of him gaining weight and continuing to heal. They washed their hands and made their way over to his room.

Bella immediately made her way to the incubator and began whispering to Abel about her recent adventures up north and her birthday party.  She told him of all the things they were going to do once he was sprung from the “joint”. Abel, though his eyes were closed, turned his head to her voice and she couldn’t help the enormous smile that popped on her face. “Look Jax! He remembers my voice! He knows me!”

Jax shook his head, chuckling at her enthusiasm. He glanced at Leah who was standing slightly behind him, clutching his hand tightly. She met his eyes for a moment before they both turned back to the incubator. “I didn’t think he’d be that small,” she whispered. Her voice was low, but it almost felt like a shout in the quiet room.

Jax turned to her again, this time holding her gaze. “Yeah, but he was much small than this when he was born.” Leah looked shocked for a moment, but then though the circumstances surrounding his birth. Jax turned back and took a step closer to the incubator. “Hey lil man.” Jax’s voice had taken on an almost reverent tone. It amazed Leah to see him like this. This big, strong, MAN became so soft for the tiny human before them. He placed his free hand on top of the plastic and continued. “Got some one here I want you to meet.” The infant’s head turned quickly to the raspy tone of his father’s voice. “This is Leah. She’s … well she’s pretty damn awesome. She’s gonna be around a lot, but no flirting. She’s taken.” Bella and Leah both giggled at that.

Leah smiled at Jax and squeezed his hand. “Hey bud. Yeah, I’ll be around for a bit. I have to have another partner in crime. Bella can be a bit lame at times.”

Bella tried to look indignant, but the broad smile on her face made it impossible. “I see how it is. Well fine then. I’ll go find some other mischief to get into.”

Jax pulled the rocker from across the room closer to the incubator and smirked. “Go ahead then short-stack. We’re gonna read a bit to lil man here.” He pulled Leah down into his lap and handed her the book that he kept in the room.

Bella smiled at the beautiful picture they made. It was a study of contrasts. Leah, a dark exotic beauty who was calm on the outside, but had a fire underneath that burned brightly for those she cared about. Jax, pale, beautiful, epitome of a bad boy with the same dedication to family. His fire was always on the surface, ready to protect those who need it while his softness was held beneath, reserved for those who had earned his affection. There was a balance there between the two that one could not deny. Bella was so thankful that they found each other.

She left them to read and bond with Abel. It was quiet on this end of the hall which made the raised voices she heard a little further down even louder. They were arguing about something, though Bella couldn’t tell what it was exactly. She walked closer to the voices but paused as she heard a familiar voice. One that she swore should have left town by now.

Tara rushed out of the room and ran straight in Bella. “Sorry,” she muttered before continuing down the hallway. She didn’t even glance at Bella, but Bella watched as she paused for half a minute at the window into Abel’s room. Bella smirked when she saw the doctor clinch her fists before stalking to elevator. She then continued down the hall, eager to catch up with Opie.

What she didn’t realize was that while she was watching Tara, there was someone observing her. The man inside the room stared at the young woman in shock. He remembered her though it had been many years since he had dealt with her mother in Chicago. He smirked in memory of that drugged out whore. _At least I got something out of it. They always did have the best crank. Now what’s the kid’s name? Ingrid … Iris … No, Is-something … Isabella! That’s it._

He watched her walk down the hall and meet up with a giant man in a black leather vest. They embraced tightly and kissed. As he turned, the man could see the large Reaper patch on the back. _Sons of Anarchy, of course. Seems like everyone is involved with them in one way or another._

The man wondered if the girl’s mother knew where her daughter was, if she even really cared. Well, if she doesn’t and wants her back, she could at least give him a blowjob for the information. He dialed the number he still had for Renee and waited.

“What?!”

The voice that answered the line was decidedly not female. It was deep and scratchy, angry sounding. _Well, in for a penny._ “May I speak with Renee?”

The man on the other end of the line let out a snort. “Bitch ain’t here is she? Got locked up a while back. Fuckin’ kid took off to the cops and instead of returning her, the cops fuckin’ arrested her ass. Locked her sayin’ somethin’ about abuse and neglect bull shit.”

The man took a moment to process this as he watched the blond man his Tar-Tar was obsessed with walk past, hand firmly grasped by a tall, tanned woman. They joined the girl and the giant at the end of the hallway. The man felt his ire rise as he saw the blond embrace the tanned woman and kiss her. _This certainly would not do._

 “Well, I know where the girl is. I’m sure we can come to some kind of agreement.”

The man on the other end of the line chuckled darkly. “Yeah, I’m sure we can. Where the fuck is she?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi! How are you? Well I hope. Me? I’m … ok I suppose. Nah, seriously, I’m alive I promise. And I AM thinking about this story. With the premiere of Mayans last month, I was re-inspired to complete this story. So the good news: I have the rest of the whole damn thing outlined! YAY go me! As of right now there are a total of 36 chapters including an epilogue. I even have a small idea for a sequel, but we will tackle this thing one piece at a time. This chapter was a beast to write, but I got it done. It’s the second or third longest chapter and it is my goal to keep these numbers up between 4500 and 5500. Now the bad news: My kids are busy this year! My son has started karate and my daughter has started competition dance. It’s an INSANE schedule, but I do have some down time while they’re in practice/rehearsal to write. And I am toting my writing notebook with me everywhere so I can get something down. So stay with me folks! I ain’t givin’ up! Thank you, thank you, thank you once again for all the amazing reviews/favs/kudos/follows. They honestly mean the world to me and push me to jump on it. Please, keep them coming! If there’s something you want to see, let me know! If I’ve missed something, let me know! I love feedback. I am starting the next chapter soon, so here’s hopin’!


	25. Plots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The game is afoot

Time has a funny way of slipping by like a river making its way to the ocean. In the weeks following their return from Washington, life settled into a routine of sorts. Leah had found a job at the local diner for now and they were very happy to have her. She was efficient in her job and friendly with the clientele no matter how they treated her, even the “wonderful” Hale family. What time wasn’t spent at the diner or with Bella was spent at the hospital with Abel, reading and telling him stories of her tribe. These had become some of her favorite moments. She and Jax were growing closer though she remained at the Telford house for now. Bella continued to keep home for her dad and helped Opie with the kids. It was so nice to not have to worry about whether she would have a warm place to sleep or someone to watch out for her. Even with the chaos that was September, she truly felt at home and comfortable.

Her relationship with Opie was progressing … well slowly as it were. They spent many a night cuddled up together and even gotten to the point where he learned her body and what brought her the most pleasure. Bella was learning him as well and while they had been unclothed together more than once, she was still hesitant to take that final step. It was a big one for her. She had seen far too often how her mother had used sex to get what she wanted but that was not what Bella wanted for herself. She knew they loved each other, but she wanted the time to be right and it just hadn’t felt that way yet. So they waited and just explored.

Things with the club had slowed down. The runs up north were going well from what she understood from her father. He had made a few trips up there with Happy, who had decided to transfer down to the mother charter for a time. The Irish were happy, the Niners were happy, the Mayans were quiet for the time being. They didn’t seem to have much of a reaction from the destruction of their warehouse though the Sons had been cautious about entering their territory for the time being. They all knew that it could kick off at any moment, but for now they’d take what they could get.

But during all this peace, there was an undercurrent of tension. Just something that was always there when things were quiet, an anxiousness of sort. It came to a head one day when Jax was at the hospital with Abel. Leah was on shift at and his mother was supposed to meet him but had been called to the garage for one reason or another. They were expecting to get him out of the “toaster” soon and he could not wait. He just wanted to hold his son.

His phone went off just as he finished reading a story to Abel. It was Leah and he left the room as not to disturb his son. Just as he flipped the phone open to answer it, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him into a supply closet. “What the fuck?!” His eyes adjusted to the dim light and settled on the one face he had hoped to never see again. “Didn’t I tell you to leave town? What the fuck Tara?”

She didn’t say anything, just grabbed the lapels of his kutte and smashed her lips to his. Jax quickly reacted, shoving her away from him and wiping his mouth. Tara was panting as if out of breath and staring at him angrily.

Jax stared back, eyes full of anger and bitterness and he assessed what had just happened. “Again, what the fuck?” He wiped roughly at his mouth again as if to get the taste of her out of it.

Tara’s face crumpled and he could see the tears forming in her eyes. “Please Jax, just … I just need you. I was so wrong back then. I never should have left, we could have found a way to make everything work. I just felt so suffocated by this town and my family and your family and everything. Please, I need another chance to prove to you that I’m the girl you love.”

Jax laughed in her face, out right gut busting laughs. “Aren’t you tired yet of getting laughed at? I don’t know what this really is, but you seriously need to get over it. I would hate to have to involved the law.” He watched her closely as she tensed subtly. His eyes narrowed in thought. “Look, I don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself in to,” now she tensed quite noticeably, “but if you’ve come looking for sympathy or protection or whatever, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” By now her complexion was white as a sheet, fists clenched so tightly he was surprised there wasn’t blood dripping from them. “That’s it, isn’t it? You need something.”

Jax ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. “Jesus Christ, I should have known. Look, you need to do what any ‘normal’ citizen would do and take your complaints to the police. Neither I nor my club nor our families are going to help you. I’ve told you what I’ve been through since you left. And now that I’m happy and have a good bit going for me, you come barging in and want something? No, not just no, but fuck no Tara.” He turned his back to her, hand gripping the doorknob.

“PLEASE!” He tilted his head to the ceiling slightly at the pure fear he heard in her voice. It wasn’t that he was heartless, he just couldn’t bring himself to go down that road with her. “Please, I’ve gone to the police, I’ve ran, I’ve hid, I don’t know what else to do!”

Jax twisted his head slightly to eye her. Her face was now blotchy and streaked with tears. Were they real? He found he couldn’t really tell anymore. “I’ve told you what I thought. I did love you once Tara, but now? I’ve got much better things to do.”

He swung the door open and just as he slammed it shut, he caught a glimpse of the woman he had once upon a time wanted to spend the rest of his life with collapse to the floor, covering her face as sobs seemed to wrack her body. Jax did feel a twinge of sympathy for her. But something told him that road was best left untraveled. He had no desire to lose what he had right now.

“JAX!!”

He heard his name faintly and almost shit himself when he realized he still had the phone in his hand. And apparently whoever was calling him had heard the entire conversation. He glanced at the screen and groaned quietly. “Hey babe, what’s up?”

He heard her snort down the line. “Yeah, hey babe whatever. Look I heard it all. And I want you to know I’m proud. You could’ve gone with her, helped her or whatever. And after hearing her, I may not have blamed you. But you didn’t. So yeah, thanks.”

Jax chuckled a little. “Yeah, ok babe. You’re welcome. Anytime. So you want the good news?” he laughed a little louder at her bright response of “YES!” He took a deep breath. “Well, looks like he’s coming out the toaster tomorrow. We’ll finally get to hold him.”

Leah’s breath hitched over the line and it made him smile. He loved that she loved his son as much as he did. “Oh Jax, that’ so wonderful! Do you want me to tell your mom? I’m done with my short shift now and am heading over to the garage.”

“Yeah, but tell Bella first please? I want you and her to be the first to hold him. I’m sure ma will get plenty of time, but he needs to know the women he can most depend on immediately.”

Leah didn’t say anything for a moment. When she did speak her voice was a whisper. “But, Jax, I’m not … I mean I get Bella, but he’s not … and we … and I don’t know. Are you sure?”

He knew that however confident Leah appeared to be, there were times where her insecurities got the better of her. That Emily bitch really had a done a number on her when she started up with Sam. And it seemed to appear the strongest around Abel. But he knew she loved that little boy just as much as any mother loved their child. “Yeah, Le, I’m sure. I’ve told you and I’ll continue to tell you that we are in this together. He will need you there when his old man fucks up.”

She chuckled, though it sounded a bit watery to him. “Alright, I’ll tell Bella and then Gemma. I can’t wait!”

Jax smiled as he exited the hospital and walked over to his bike. “Yeah, me either. Two o’clock tomorrow. I’ll see you later.”

She said goodbye and they hung up. Jax strapped on his helmet and cranked up the bike. He had a meeting with LeRoy and he didn’t need to be late.

\-----00000-----

Josh Kohn was not having a good day. He had spent the last few weeks searching for the girl he had spotted at the hospital but even in a small a town as Charming, she seemed to have disappeared. It was disconcerting really. He had been able to keep subtle tabs on the tall girl he had seen Jackson Teller with pretty easily. He visited the diner, though not frequently enough to be noticed. He would watch the hoodlum his Tar-Tar was somehow attracted to would drop off or pick the girl up. He learned her name was Leah and with gentle prodding found out she was from Washington and had just shown up in Charming one day with the girl that the Sons had brought to town.

He was honestly perplexed though at the disappearance of his real target. Michael was eager to get his hands on her but refused to make the trip to Charming until he knew for sure Josh had the girl. Isabella Telford was making his life difficult and he was beginning to wonder if it was worth it.

“Excuse me, sir. I’m wondering if you’ve seen this girl.”

Josh was startled out of his thoughts by a young man. He wasn’t overly tall, but had a demeanor that seemed to command attention. Just by a glance, Josh knew this man wasn’t as innocent as he appeared to be. He glanced at the picture in the man’s hands, surprised when he found it to be a picture of Bella. It seemed to be a candid shot through a window, but he could still tell it was the girl he had been searching for.

“I saw her a few weeks ago at the hospital. I’ve actually been looking for her as well. I need to ask her some questions.” He pulled his blazer open slightly to show his badge. The young man twitched almost imperceptibly but remained cool and collected.

“Well, she was recently in an accident and hit her head. I’m afraid she has a touch of amnesia and somehow wandered away. She may be confused a bit. I’ve managed to track her here, but I haven’t been able to make contact. I’m not sure what she’d be able to tell you, but I wouldn’t mind some help.”

Josh smiled slightly at the man. “Absolutely. Do you have another picture and a phone number? I can keep an eye out and if we find her, we can contact each other?”

Edward Cullen smiled deceptively at the older man. “Of course.” He pulled another picture, the same one that he carried around, and wrote his cell phone number on the back. In turn, Josh produced a business card and handed over to the young man. “Thank you Agent Kohn, all your help is greatly appreciated.”

They parted ways then, both unwittingly thinking the same thing: if he finds the girl, he’ll just have to be disposed of.

\-----00000-----

“He’s getting out the toaster tomorrow!!” Bella jerked from her daze at the clubhouse bar top. She had been going over community college courses trying to decide if it was something she wanted to pursue. She knew she could do it, but wasn’t sure what she would major in at this point. Maybe she could get some basics done so when she finally did decide, she wouldn’t have to worry about those.

But with Leah’s excited exclamation, thoughts of a degree in anything flew straight out the window. Jax would finally get to hold his son. She could think of nothing better for her friend. He had been doing so well with everything that had happened in the past few months, he needed to see it was all going to be worth it.

“That’s amazing! I bet Jax is beyond excited!” Bella had quickly absorbed Leah’s enthusiasm and was positively giddy with glee.

“Way beyond excited. He said to be there at two. You don’t have to pick up the kids tomorrow right?” Leah questioned as she quickly walked behind the bar and got herself a Coke.

Bella just shook her head. “Nope. But why would I come? That’s his and your time to bond with Abel.”

Leah’s eyes widened to an incredulous expression. “You’re kidding right?” Bella just shook her head as Leah rolled her eyes as she walked around the bar and took Bella’s hand in her own. “Of course not. Look, you are Jax’s sister in everything but blood, the absolute closest thing Abel will ever have to an aunt. So yes, you will be coming with me to the hospital and you will hold your nephew and you will smile and love him and spoil him rotten. No ifs, ands, or buts!”

Bella just laughed as tears gathered in her eyes. An aunt? Her? It was honestly unfathomable. She didn’t know how that truly made her feel, but she wasn’t going to argue with it. So she nodded her head enthusiastically and embraced her friend, once again thankful for finding these people when she did.

The next day dawned bright and clear and both Leah and Bella were bouncing around the house. Chibs just laughed at his daughter’s enthusiasm and let them be. They spent the morning cleaning the house and getting ready. Lunch had been a quick round of sandwiches and they headed up to the hospital. They were a bit early, but seeing Gemma and Jax already there reassured them that they were ok.

Gemma greeted both girls with firm hugs that were returned easily. “I can’t believe he’s finally getting out that damn thing. I thought he would be grown before they let him loose.” The girls chuckled at the older woman. It really did feel like that at times.

A nurse popped her head out of the doorway to Abel’s room and smiled at them. “You guys ready? Dr. Namid is finished with his examination and he’s ready to properly meet his family.”

They all went to the sink right inside the door and washed their hands before turning to the nurse. Dr. Namid came out of the next room carrying a small blue bundle. He smiled widely at them as he handed the bundle over to his father. Jax had the biggest grin on his face and a look of awe on his face as if he didn’t quite believe what was happening. “Hey there. I hate to tell you this, but I’m your old man.” He chuckled lightly as the infant in his arms smiled at him. He stared into his son’s ( _his SON!)_ blue eyes, not sure what to say. The only thing he could think to do was sit in the rocking chair for a minute and rock him. He stroked his cheeks and Abel reached a hand up and grabbed his finger.

Bella and Leah stood near him just smiling and taking in the scene. It was really something seeing this man be so soft and gentle. Just as he had been the first time Leah had met Abel, Jax was again stealing her heart with small smiles and whispers meant only for Abel’s ears. Jax looked up at her and gave her that crooked smile that got him anything he wanted as he stood. He approached her and nodded. “Your turn babe.”

Leah bit her lip nervously and arranged her arms carefully as Jax transferred Abel into them. She stared in wonder at the child who stared back in equal contemplation. “Hey bud,” she whispered. “You can call me Lele if you want. I don’t know. I just … you are an amazing person already. I just know you will continue to challenge everything and just be awesome.” Leah felt the tears gather in her eyes and let one fall gently from her eyes. There was no describing the amount of love she felt for this little boy that she barely knew. “Just know that you are loved sweet boy. More than I think you will ever realize.” She turned to Bella and smiled. “Your turn, auntie.”

Bella carefully accepted the infant and beamed at him. “Oh, I can’t wait for us to get into so much trouble together. I’m going to be the cool aunt and you’re gonna be so spoiled rotten it’s not even funny.” Jax, Leah, and Gemma all chuckled at Bella’s enthusiasm. She took a few more moments just admiring him before passing him to Gemma.

The grandmother didn’t say anything, just smiled and gently swayed the baby back and forth. She turned to her son and smiled broadly. “I can’t tell you how proud of you I am. You have come so far in such a short time. Your father would be so proud of you.” She passed the baby back to a teary eyed Jax who kissed her cheek and smiled. He hoped she was right. And when he glanced at Leah and Bella, he knew exactly what was making him change for the better and his only hope was that it continued.

\-----00000-----

“What the fuck is taking so long?!” The shrill voice on the other end of the line made Edward cringe and pull the phone away from his ear. He had hated dealing his sister-in-law before, but since the incident with Jasper, she had become a down right harpy. It was understandable he supposed considering he had inadvertently gotten her husband killed. But Jasper had been his brother first and he couldn’t help but feel like Alice was taking more advantage of this than she should.

“Look, I know she’s here somewhere. But it’s like she doesn’t leave the house or something. And there’s nothing in her name anywhere. There’s not even anything in her father’s name. I’ve been canvassing everything.” His reply was tense and tight. He didn’t mention that he had been in contact with Agent Kohn at all. He knew the fact that he had been in contact with and was potentially working with a Federal Agent would open a can of worms for sure.

“Well you’re not doing enough. Find the fucking bitch. It’s been two months of my waiting and waiting and I’m pretty damn tired of it! I need my pound of flesh!”

_Did she really just say ‘pound of flesh’?_ Edward rolled his eyes at her dramatics. “Of course dear. I’m working on it. I will call you when I have progress.”

Edward promptly hung up his cell phone and took a sip of the coffee in front of him. He had to admit that for a small town greasy spoon, they had some damn good coffee, though he hadn’t been able to sample it too often. He had to make sure that he wasn’t seen by certain employees. That would just ruin everything.

“Hey Bev, you got those pies? Gemma wants everything perfect for tomorrow and you know how she can be.”

The voice was loud and coarse, demanding in a way that indicated this person was used to being listened to and getting his way. Edward turned his eyes to the man who had entered the diner and was talking to the head waitress behind the counter. He was tall, white haired and wearing a black leather vest over his black t-shirt and jeans. Edward quickly ducked his head as he saw the reaper on the back. _Fucking Sons of Anarchy._ He had managed to avoid them all this time, but it seemed his luck had run out. He couldn’t exactly go pay for his coffee and pie without being noticed by the man and he knew that they knew what he looked like and he didn’t think he would make it out that particular situation alive. So he kept his head low and listened in on the conversation.

“Yeah, one cherry, one apple, and a coconut crème. Gemma’s already paid, so they’re good to go.” Bev answered him as she turned to grab the pies boxes from the kitchen window.

“Sack!” the large man yelled out the door. A skinny, younger man came in the diner and grabbed the boxes from the woman and took them out to a black van. He took off quickly, supposedly to deliver the treats.

“So he’s finally getting out? I know Leah’s been on pins and needles the last couple days in anticipation. That’s all I ever hear any more. Or about Jax. I’ve had girls obsessed over him before, but this is something different.”

From the corner of his eye, Edward saw the man roll his eyes and snort. “Yeah, trust me, it goes both ways. It’s either Leah or Abel or Bella and frankly I’m about over it. Be glad when this shit is done so maybe my wife will settle down. Spent the last two months redoing that house and depleting my wallet.”

Bev gently slapped his arm and chuckled. “Oh let the woman be. She’s allowed to spoil that grandbaby. And don’t act like he won’t have you wrapped around his little pinky finger. That boy’s been through hell, he deserves every bit of it.”

The man joined in her laughter and nodded. “Yeah yeah. Best get back to the ol’ lady. Her and the girls are decorating and will be at it til they go get the lil guy from the hospital tomorrow. If you get a chance, come on by. We’ll be at Jax’s pretty much all night.”

Bev smiled and waved the man goodbye. Edward smiled to himself in thought. Well at least he knew where she would be tomorrow. He went to the register and paid his small tab then left the diner. He pulled his phone out to dial the number he needed. “Hey, got a lead, meet me at the Hairy Dog. We’re gonna finish this off.”

\-----00000-----

Jax parked his bike in front of his house. The lawn had been cut and the yard cleaned up and he anticipated the inside to look just as good, if not better. He knew his mom and Leah and Bella had left some time ago and that was ok. He needed this time alone to think and prepare himself. He recalled the conversation that he and Dr. Namid had at the hospital earlier regarding Abel’s release. It wasn’t going to be an easy road Jax knew. His son would be on medication almost the rest of his life plus there were so many things he had to watch for now: sleep apnea, seizures, adverse reactions to medications. It was honestly a bit overwhelming and he wasn’t afraid to admit, at least to himself, he was scared shitless.

Here was this little person he was expected to care for, 24/7. Abel would be dependent on him the rest of his life. Was he really someone that a kid could look up to? That thought gave him pause, but as he examined it, Jax came to one conclusion. His boy would be ok. It was often said that it takes a village to raise a child and that was never more true than in his Life. He had a plethora of “uncles” and “aunts” and “cousins” when he was growing up. No, it wasn’t an ideal life to raise a family, but there was nothing about it that he would change. He had family, whether by blood or by choice. And he knew they would stick by each other through thick and thin.

Jax opened the front down and looked around, quite impressed. Apparently his mother had liked Leah enough to ask for input. After she confronted him about bringing some “no class tramp from the backwoods” back to Charming, he had his say with her. Normally, he wouldn’t confront his mother in such a way, but this was different. He had absolutely no desire to see it effed up whether it be by his own stupidity or his mother’s occasional mean-spirited attitude. He told Gemma in no uncertain terms that he cared for Leah and that she would be around for the foreseeable future and more than likely beyond that. It wasn’t that he didn’t value his mother’s opinion, but more often than not, she got the wrong end of the stick and thought she was right. That was not the case here. So instead, Jax encouraged her to get to know Leah on her own terms. And that’s what they had been doing the past two months. Just as he and Leah grew closer, he saw his mother actually giving in a little bit and accepting someone into their small world. It helped that Leah had sort of come from another club and understood the life.

He took a few more moments in the house admiring the decorations and just the overall cleanliness of it. The nursery was by far his favorite room. Decorated in blues with hardwood floors and rugs in blue and black stripes. There were stuffed bears and miniature motorcycles. The white crib was set against a wall with ABEL spelled out in wooden letters above it. A matching changing table/dresser was stocked with more diapers and wipes than he had ever seen and he was sure the dresser and closet were both packed with clothes. He sat in the rocking chair in the corner for a few moments just absorbing it all. No, he was not as nervous anymore, but had a great sense of excitement. Yeah, he could do this. He could be a dad.

\-----00000-----

He first noticed the silver car following him about a block away from his house. They really weren’t subtle. And he didn’t really want to have any bloodshed in his town so he made his way to the outskirts, the same direction as their old warehouse. Jax did a mental inventory of everything had on him: his ever present KBAR, two Glocks in his shoulder holsters, and a Springfield in his jeans on his back. He almost laughed at himself for how overly armed he was. Feeling a bit more secure, he veered off to a dirt road, leading away from the warehouse, but to a ravine with a creek at the bottom that he knew ran through the area. About a half mile down the road, he glanced in the side mirror. The car had cut its headlights, but the almost full moon gave off enough light for Jax to tell he was there. He sped up a little bit, putting a good bit of distance and dust from the road between then. He swerved suddenly into the trees and quickly removed his helmet and got of the bike. Pulling the gun from his waist band, he leaned against the bike and just waited.

It didn’t take long for the car to be heard over the sounds of frogs and insects. They had slowed down substantially when they lost sight of Jax. The car pulled up about a yard from where Jax had stopped. A door opened and a man emerged. He wasn’t too tall, maybe the same height as him. The man wore a white button down shirt untucked from dress pants and shiny dress shoes. He stumbled a little as he looked around, eyes squinting. Jax couldn’t help but chuckle silently at the man. He was apparently at least a little intoxicated or something. Why else would he follow a man wearing a Reaper kutte to the middle of nowhere?

“Damn, you are not an easy man to track down.” The man’s voice was instantly grating. He spoke as if he was speaking to a small child. Jax just raised an eyebrow, his arms crossed across the front of his body. “I really don’t get it ya know? I mean I guess everyone has a bad boy phase or whatever. I never saw the appeal of a ‘bad girl’ though. Just filthy sluts always wanting something. Though there was Renee. Now she was as bad as they come and just as filthy. You might have liked her.”

Jax’s expression didn’t change, but inside he tensed. There was something about that name that reminded him of someone. He just couldn’t place it. “Is there any particular reason you are ‘tracking me down’?” Jax kept his voice smooth as silk, something he had often done with women in the past. It always worked with them, no reason it wouldn’t work now.

The man snorted. “Ya see, that’s just it. I have a reason, a very good one.” He started stumbling towards Jax who stood up straight, his hand holding the gun concealed in the crease of his elbow, but ready to blow if necessary. “Ya know I was happy once. So damn happy. Had a great woman, was gonna get married. And then it was just … gone! She decided we were done and that was that. Ya know she had an abortion? Didn’t tell me shit about it, had to find out later from someone else. Ain’t that some shit?” The man was close enough now that Jax could smell the liquor coming off him. “And ya know what else? I still love the bitch. She’s absolutely perfect and all I want to do it take care of her. Why can’t she let me do that? I offered her the world, everything she could ever want. But for some inconceivable reason, it seems that it doesn’t matter what I offer. Because my reason for tracking you down doesn’t want me. She just fucking wants you.”

Jax watch warily as the man seemed to be groping around his pockets for something. He dropped his arms, keeping the gun in the shadows though he didn’t think the man would really notice it. “Look man, I don’t know what you’re thinking or whatever, but whatever it is, it’s not right. The one person I want, I have. I don’t need anyone else.”

The man laughed. “She used to talk about you, ya know. ‘Oh Josh, you’re so much better than him’” he said in a high pitched voice. “She always told me how pathetic you were, how you were stuck on your mother’s tit and were never going to leave this shit hole of a town. I get that now. But what I don’t get,” he finally pulled a silver gun from his pocket and scratched the side of his head with the barrel, “What I really don’t get is why she seems to want to go back to you? What have you done to her? My Tar-Tar would never stoop that low. She’s grown, matured.” Josh, as Jax now knew him to be, began pacing in front of Jax, clearly agitated.

Tightening his grip on his gun, Jax took a deep breath. He needed to remain calm and think. That was hard with the jackass in front of him still pacing, but he began processing the situation. No one around for miles, night time, agitated person with a gun and quite possibly a hair trigger temper. There would be no easy way to escape this without bullet holes. So he took a deep breath and decided maybe he could talk him out of it. “I’m guessing you’re referring to Tara. Seriously man, I told her to fuck off. I don’t want her. She’s all yours if she wants you. I don’t have any problem with it.”

“BUT THAT’S JUST IT! SHE HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT! SHE STILL WANTS YOU!” Josh screamed into the night. It made Jax even more tense for a moment. Josh pulled the gun up, holding it almost steady pointing directly between Jax’s eyes. And then he dropped it and started laughing. “Had you there huh? Nah, you’d be too noticeable. And I don’t think Tar-Tar would appreciate it very much if I eliminated you. Now that bitch that works at the diner?” He raised his eyebrow in askance. “That bitch can go. Seems she doesn’t like my girl that much and that just won’t do at all. So bye-bye bitch!”

Jax felt his face flush as anger rushed through him. _Not gonna happen._ “You touch a hair on her head, it will be the last thing you ever do.”

Josh laughed out right. “You honestly think you can stop me? I’m the law!” He pulled ATF badge from his pocket and threw it at Jax. It landed in front of him and Jax read it and turned his eyes back up to Josh, his lip curling up in a snarl. “You can’t touch me, no matter what. So I’m going to take your girl just like you took mine. Hope you got a goodbye kiss because it was the last one you’ll ever get.”

Without a single thought, Jax raised his gun and fired. He watched as if in slow motion as the bullet penetrated the man’s neck and flew out the back with a spurt of blood. Josh grabbed at his wound, but apparently Jax hit the right artery and blood had immediately began pouring out of him. He fell to his knees and then face down in the dirt. Jax waited a moment before approaching him. The body was still but Jax squatted down and removed his glove to find a pulse. Finding none, he pulled his glove back on and stood up cursing. Observing the area, he came to the only conclusion he could: stage a wreck. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed.

“Hey Ope, need some help real quick. Yeah, sorry man.” He hated that he had interrupted “date night” but this was important and there was no one he trusted more. And this wasn’t a club matter really, so he didn’t want to involve any of the other guys, especially Clay. He had been kinda shady these past couple of months and that made him wary. Jax knew once he mentioned he was protecting Leah, his friend would be alright with everything. He quickly gave Opie directions and hung up.

Twenty minutes later, Opie pulled up on his motorcycle. He looked around at the silver car and the dead body with the copious amounts of blood pooled around it and sighed heavily. “You so owe me brother.”

Jax just laughed and patted Opie’s back. “Yeah man, I know. Just add it to my tab.” Jax drove the car the short distance to the edge of ravine and then came back to help Opie carry the body to the car. Opie went back and started kicking around the dirt, trying to erase footprints and the blood from the area. “I’m just gonna push the gas and let gravity do the rest.” He buckled the body in and Jax leaned his leg in pressing gently on the gas with the emergency brake on. He swiftly jumped back, pulled the brake and slammed the car door shut. They watched as the car drove itself right over the edge of the shallow ravine. They heard the crunch of the front end hitting something and then two more thuds followed by a dull roar and an orange light started coming from ravine.

“Maybe someone will notice, maybe not. Don’t really care. Just ride back in the tire tracks so it’s not noticeable.” Jax said. Opie nodded and they both hopped on their bikes. They began their ride back to town, both with the same thought in their head: _Just another day in the Life._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: HELLO AGAIN! I had a free day and had been listening to my playlist of Seether, Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed, and the SOA Soundtracks and everything just kinda fell into place. So here’s the next chapter. Thank you all once again for being patient with me and loving this story. This is by far my greatest accomplishment and I so want to finish it, so just keep the faith! And keep the reviews and love coming, I can’t express enough how much I appreciate them! You know I’ve just realized I’ve written enough words to be considered a decent sized novel? Ain’t that odd?


	26. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mama, he's coming home

“MOM! What are you doing here?!”

Leah was not a morning person. Not one little bit. But the shock of seeing her mother at the Telford’s door at 8 in the morning certainly woke her up. Sue Clearwater just laughed at her daughter’s crazy hair and sheet wrinkled face. “Well hello to you too. Seth and I got in late last night, stayed at a hotel. Thought I’d surprise you on Abel’s homecoming day.”

Seth popped his head up over their mother’s shoulder and beamed a bright smile. “What up sis?” Leah just shook her head laughing and ushered them into the house.

“Who’s at the door this bloody early in the morning?” The grumpy Scotsman was muttering to himself as he came down the hallway. He stopped abruptly in the living room and started running his hands through his hair in attempts to put it in some sort of semblance of order. “Pardon me, wasn’t expectin’ company.”

Sue chuckled and waved her hand dismissing him. “No worries hon, I’m quite used to it by now.” Chibs grinned at her and walked over to great them. He shook Seth’s hand and smoothly took Sue’s hand and kissed the back of it. Sue couldn’t help the blush that rose to her cheeks.

“Welcome to my home, lovely. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything, anything at all.” With that, he turned back to the hallway to finish getting ready for the day. Even with Abel’s homecoming party that evening, there was still shit handle. And handle it he would.

Just when they sat on the couch, Bella came out of the bedroom, bright eyed and bushy tailed. She was just as excited for Abel’s homecoming as Jax and Leah were. She took in their visitors with a big smile. “Seth, Sue, it’s so great to see you! You didn’t have to come all this way just for us!”

Sue shook her head, smiling at the enthusiastic girl. “Well, I’ve already met Jax and since my child did move down here to be with him, I figure I might was well come meet the rest of the family.” Leah was unable to hide the blush on her cheeks even as she ducked her head.

“Well, I’m sure that can be arranged. We’ll be heading over to Jax’s house in just a few and I’m sure Gemma is already there cleaning everything that’s already been cleaned twice over.” Bella knew how Gemma got when she was anxious and it honestly wouldn’t surprise her to find those words to be truth.

Leah stood from the couch and nodded her head. “Yeah, right, ok, I’m just gonna … um yeah. Get dressed and get ready. So yeah, I’ll uh … be back.”

Sue raised an eyebrow in Bella’s direction, but the young girl could only shrug. She knew Leah was restless to get the homecoming done, but this was different. Bella excused her to get her purse and things ready to leave. She found Leah in the bedroom. Her friend seemed to be staring at the dresser, completely lost. “Leah, what is it?”

Leah turned large frightened eyes to her friend. “Oh my God Bella what am I doing? I can’t do this! Jax is going to be tired of me soon and I just … I fell in love with that little boy and I want to care for him but if Jax throws me to the curb, I just couldn’t bear to leave him. I should just go, get it over with. I can have mom and Seth bring me back to La Push. They will let me and I can go and everything will be better and …. ” She was working herself up again and Bella knew just how to calm her down.

Bella place a hand on her friend’s shoulder and caught her eyes. She didn’t let Leah look away for a moment. “Breathe with me hon.” She took a deep breath, held it for a moment then slowly released it. She kept it up, encouraging Leah to breathe with her. Eventual she did and calmed down enough for Bella to say what she needed. “You know that’s all garbage.” Leah blushed in acknowledgement. “You are amazing and that kid is going to love you. And I know you haven’t said it to Jax yet, but you love him and I can see he loves you. Nothing is going to break that apart. So love that boy and don’t ever let him go.  Stay here with me or move in with Jax.” Leah’s eyes widened at that. Sure she and Jax had talked about it eventually happening, but in her heart she felt like “eventually” was quickly becoming “ASAP” especially with Abel coming home.  “Just know that you are loved here and more than welcome, whether you are with Jax or not. I kinda like having you around. I think even Gemma likes you too.”

Leah snorted at that. She and Gemma seemed to have come to an understanding of sorts. They were learning how to get along. It wasn’t that they didn’t like each other. They were both just strong, opinionated women. Most of the time their opinions were the same or at least similar. Where they differed, Bella would sometimes have to referee. But those were getting fewer and further between.

“I know, you’re right. It’s just seeing my mom and brother there made me think that this was all a mistake and I wanted to go home. But I’m good now.” Bella raised an eyebrow at her. “I promise, Bells. Everything is fine. I’m so glad I have a friend like you to talk me down of my ledge.”

Bella smiled at her friend and grabbed her in a hug. She found she really loved this whole hugging thing and was not ashamed to do it often. Leah embraced her for a moment before pulling away and turning back to the dresser and pulling out a black v-neck t-shirt and grey skinny jeans. Bella took that as her cue to leave and wandered back out to the living room to entertain their guests until it was time to leave.

They arrived at Jax’s about an hour later and Gemma was already there in full on Gemma-mode as the girls had dubbed it. She was wiping counters and wrapping streamers. There was a small helium tank on the (brand new) dining table with a small pile of blue and white balloons and some ribbon beside it. There were several small boxes on the (also brand new) black leather couch in the living room and what looked like a patio table and chairs stacked by the back door. “Oh good you’re here. Bella, do the balloons. Leah, take those boxes to Jax’s room please. Just some stuff he left at the clubhouse that I brought over for him.”

Bella and Leah exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. “Well, good morning Gemma. Did you even sleep last night?”

Gemma finally looked at them fully from the counter she was wiping down and stopped once she saw the other people with them. “Well, who’s this then?”

Leah cleared her throat. “Gemma, this is my brother, Seth, and my mother, Sue Clearwater. They surprised me with a visit this morning and to celebrate Abel’s homecoming.”

Gemma eyed them up and down. Sue was pretty enough for a woman of their age. The Native American genes certainly helped with that. Seth looked tall and strong like Bella had described the other members of the La Push charter. He wore his prospect kutte proudly, she could tell.

“Well, the more the merrier I always say. Welcome.” She smiled briefly at them. “Now since you’re here, big boy, can you take that patio furniture out the back door and set it up? Be one less thing that we have to worry about later.”

Seth beamed at the matriarch and walked over to furniture. “Can I help you in the kitchen? I run the diner in Forks and am a pretty good cook if I do say so myself.” Sue stepped towards Gemma who just smirked.

“Yeah, sure, I was gonna put a brisket on and need to get it rubbed down.” Gemma lead Sue over to the slab of meat on the counter and called over her shoulder “You girls best get busy!” Leah and Bella exchanged wide eyed glances before hustling to their respective jobs.

Leah dropped the last box on the bedroom in Jax’s room and finally really looked around. It was a relatively simple room. There was a king sized bed, two night stands and a dresser facing them, all in matching panel style walnut colored wood. There was a closet on the same wall as the dresser and a door to the left of the bed that led in to a three-quarters bath. A nice room to be sure. The bedspread was a deep blue with matching pillow cases and sheets. _They sure do like their blue around here._ She opened one of the boxes she brought in to see if it was something she could put away. Inside was just a mishmash of tools and some small car or motorcycle parts. The next one had some clothes that smelled … well pretty horrible if she was honest with herself. _How do these guys get so damn stinky?_ She immediately dumped them in the hamper in the bathroom. The last box had some manuals in it. She glanced through them quickly, not noting anything of importance. She took the two boxes of junk to the spare bedroom and sets them in the corner for Jaz to go through at his convenience.

Maybe she should have looked through that box a little better. Maybe things would have turned out a little differently. But Fate does as she pleases and she indeed had a plan. Whether they liked it or not.

\-----00000-----

Bella was admiring the balloons and streamers and all the happy decorations around the house. She really was so very happy for Jax to finally have his son home and for her to have someone to spoil. It was what she had hoped and prayed for since her birthday and now it was coming true. Everything seemed to be falling in to place and sometimes it was hard for her to believe her luck.

There was just one more thing that she wanted. Not necessarily something big to most people, but to her, it was really everything. It may have been silly to put so much significance to it, but honestly, you can only lose your virginity once. That was it.

And she was ready to do that.

She had memorized every part of Opie’s body that she could (and trust her, there was a lot of body!) and she was ready for the next step in their relationship. The nights they had spent together were of course leading to something, teasing both of them to no end. Well, no end until she came to this conclusion. Bella smiled softly to herself. She hoped she never lost this feeling of wonder. As with most things that she was experiencing now, this was something she had never planned on happening. She never felt she would be able to get close enough to someone to let that happen. Or if it did happen, it would have been against her will with someone she didn’t even like. But here she was, in love with a wonderful man and his family. She had her own friends, people she considered siblings who looked out for her, and real blood family that took her in. And she couldn’t be happier.

“Hello? Earth to Bella, come in Bella!”

Bella was startled out of her thoughts by Leah’s singsong voice in her ear. “Sorry, just … thinking about something.”

Leah raised an eyebrow at her sister from another mister. “Oh yeah? Well with that goofy smile on your face, I can only imagine what it was about.” She waggled her eyebrows and winked at Bella. The flush on her cheeks gave her cheeks gave her thoughts away completely. “Oh my god, you’re really thinking about that! Wait, wait, I thought you weren’t …” She trailed off waving her hand expectantly.

Bella shook her head. “No, we’re not. Well, at least not yet.” Could she get any redder? _No that’s not a challenge!_ “I was just thinking that … well, maybe it’s time. I think I’m ready.” She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. “No, I know I’m ready. I want to have sex with Opie.”

Leah stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter. “Oh god, thank you!” She managed to get it out between laughs. This continues for several moments before she was able to control herself. “Ok, wow, way to be blunt there Bells! Well I suppose I should say congrats?” Leah shrugged her shoulders a little. “I suppose it’s good payback for all the time I’ve told you about me and Jax’s sex life.” Leah stared at the younger woman for a few moments as if contemplating something. “Just … make sure that it’s your choice. That you’re not feeling pressured. I know you and Ope have done some things and that’s good for you to get comfortable with each other’s bodies,” she grabbed Bella’s hands in her own. “But don’t do it because you’ve gone that far and feel like you _have_ to ‘seal the deal’ ya know?” they dropped hands. “And please for the love of everything good and holy, be safe. We really don’t need any more kids around here for a while.”

 _Whelp, I guess I can get redder!_ Bella felt the fire in her face as she stuttered a response. “Well, uh, ya see, I’ve kinda already been to the clinic.” Leah’s eyes widened, not expecting to hear that from her. “I was never really regular before and I knew that this was an eventuality so I wanted to be prepared. And I didn’t want to bug dad about it with because come on, that’s just not something that I want to talk with him about. So I got on the pill and it’s been pretty good so far. So, yeah, we got that covered.”

Leah smiled at her friend, truly happy for her. It was rare to find the kind of relationship that Opie and Bella had. At times she was jealous of them, not because she was unhappy with Jax. But because there seemed to be an intimacy between them that she felt was missing at times with Jax. They were getting there, but their relationship had started in such a wild manner that it was taking some time. “I really am glad for you Bells. This is a big step, especially for you. So when do you plan to for this to happen?”

Bella opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the front door of the house swinging open and a round of raucous laughter preceding the two older women returning from a quick run to the grocery story. Seth walked in behind them carrying the bags and shaking his head, barely holding in chuckles. The women looked up and met Leah and Bella’s eyes then looked at each other before bursting into more laughter.

“Mom, what is your problem?” Leah could only stare at them for a moment before turning to Seth. “What the hell happened? Did you let them smoke or something?”

Seth placed the bags on the kitchen counter and just snickered. “Honestly, I didn’t hear a whole lot. There was something about comparing the guys in SAMCRO and how Gemma was honestly unsure how you were walking straight and then something about Bella being worse off. I dunno, I tried not to listen too hard.”

Leah and Bella exchanged wide eyed glances and then looked to the older women. “You know Opie and I haven’t done that right?” Leah almost burst into laughter at Bella’s bluntness once again.

Gemma eyed Bella speculatively. She seemed to come to some sort of conclusion as she nodded her head. “Alright then. You’ll just have to fix that. I’ll keep Ellie and Kenny tonight. They’re good kids. And you can …” Gemma paused and raised an eyebrow, leaning close to Bella, “take care of business.”

Redder than she had ever been, Bella nodded. “Alright then.” She looked thoughtful for a moment before gaining some confidence and looking Gemma straight in the eye. “Yes, thank you Gem. I appreciate it. That was actually what we were talking about before you got back. I had finally made the decision to go for it. So thanks for the help.”

Gemma smirked at her and turned to unload the bags Seth had carried in. “Alright girls, let’s get this set up, we have an hour before we need to meet up with Jax at the hospital.”

The women got busy putting the finishing touches on the house. Bella and Leah ran back to the house to change clothes and Bella packed a bag before returning to Jax’s house. A couple of guys arrived right before they were to leave for the hospital and greeted Seth as they would any brother. They stood around chatting and drinking a few beers. Sue was talking quietly in the living room with Chibs and if they maybe stood a little closer than was considered normal to one another, Bella wasn’t going to point it out to Leah.

They left for the hospital in Gemma’s SUV, car seat ready for its precious cargo. Jax met them at the entrance to hospital and took Leah’s hand as they made their way to the NICU. Jax signed the forms and waited anxiously for Dr. Namid to bring out his son. His hands were sweaty and he kept wiping them on his jeans. He glanced around and noted Bella’s expression. Her eyes were narrowed at something around the corner. Jax glanced around, but couldn’t see anything. Bella leaned over to Gemma and whispered something in her ear before stalking around the corner. Gemma watched her, smirk firmly on her face. When she turned back towards to Jax, he raised an eyebrow at her but she just shook her head. Leah squeezed his arm drawing his attention back to her and he smiled. _Just a few more moments._

Bella’s strides were not long, but they were fierce as she cornered her prey. “I thought we were past this. I thought you understood. You are not wanted, you are not welcome. You need to disappear. Like yesterday.”

Tara just glared at Bella. “It’s honestly not any of your business, but I still care about Jax and what’s going on with Abel. That baby didn’t deserve anything that was done to him and regardless of what you or anyone else say, I care about who I want. I just …” she seemed to deflate a little bit, her ire leaving her. “I just wanted to make sure he was ok.”

Bella eyed the brunette down critically. She got it, she really did. But this was her family now, not the good doctors. And she would protect them. “The best thing you can do for that little boy right now is to back the hell up. Leave town. Whatever brought you back to Charming is apparently not working.”

Tara held Bella’s gaze for a few moments before nodding her head. She turned on her heel and stalked off to the stairwell door. As the door shut behind her, Bella could only hope that was honestly the last time she ever saw her.

\-----00000-----

No matter how many times she witnessed it, Bella didn’t think she would ever get used to seeing these big, bad biker men go all soft and mushy over a baby. From the moment they walked in the door, Abel was the center of attention. From Clay offering him a sip of beer to Bobby crooning “Love Me Tender” softly to the boy, it was surreal. She had been busy making sure the food was being replenished and the beer kept up in the fridge and was finally taking a moment to sit on the couch next to Opie. Piney was attempting to balance a glass of whiskey on Kenny’s head as Ellie giggled from beside them. Chibs and Sue were sitting at the dining table sharing a piece of coconut crème pie. Bella smirked at that. They hadn’t parted company the entire night and that was fine by her. Maybe he’d be distracted enough that he wouldn’t notice her absence that evening.

Thinking of that, Bella turned her gaze to Opie. He was watching his children play with their grandfather with a fond smile on his face. As if he felt her eyes on him, he turned that smile on Bella. She returned it, maybe a little brighter than normal. “Enjoying yourself?” she asked him.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into him. “Yeah. I’m happy for Jax, he needed this. Something to ground him and give him something to think about besides going on runs and women. And Leah really looks like a natural. I know she was worried, but she’s like a duck in water. They work well together.”

That was something else that Bella had also noticed throughout the night. It didn’t matter who was holding Abel, Leah and Jax were watching. And Leah seemed to instinctively know when he need something like a bottle or a quick diaper change. Jax was always there beside her, learning and practicing his parenting skills. It was really sweet. “Yeah, I’m glad it worked out well. Both of them were so nervous about everything.” She sighed. “I’m glad to see that for once I was right.”

Opie chuckled above her. “Yeah, for once.”

She elbowed his ribs as he chuckled. “Fine be that way. I just won’t tell you my surprise.”

He stopped after a moment. “Ok, ok, I’m better now. Gotta admit, that’s a little funny.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “I guess maybe just a little.” She glanced around the room to make sure they didn’t have any attention on them. It didn’t appear they did. “So, Gemma may have offered to take Kenny and Ellie tonight. And I may have tentatively agreed because I kinda of sort of maybe want a night alone with you to maybe … well, I mean …” Bella huffed in frustration. If she couldn’t talk about, she had no reason to even be considering doing it. Taking a deep breath, she looked up into Opie’s eyes. “I’m ready, Ope. I want to be with you.”

Opie’s breath caught in his throat. For a man that had been used to getting laid pretty much whenever he wanted to, the last few months without had been … different. He really hadn’t missed it though, he had been enjoying the last couple of weeks. The closeness they developed by taking their time and learning each other was worth more than he could ever say. He knew this was something that was important to Bella, something that she wasn’t going to rush into. So he waited and took cold showers and had more patience. Sure he got a ribbing from the guys upon occasion, but they would never say anything in front of Chibs. So at least there was that.

Speaking of Chibs, Opie let his gaze wander from hers and to her father and Sue sitting in the dining room. Bella followed his gaze and laughed lightly. “I’m not worried about him. Even if he’s not distracted by Sue, it’s not something he hasn’t been expecting. In fact he asked about it last week and let me tell you that is not a conversation I ever want to repeat again. He managed to get out that while he wanted absolutely no details, it was something that he figured would happen at some point so he wasn’t going to fight about it. He just wanted me and you to be happy. I managed to avoid the whole ‘safe sex’ thing though he did hint. So we’re good there.”

Opie returned his gaze to her. “You’re sure? I don’t want you to think it’s something I need or anything like that. Because I don’t. We are perfectly fine.”

“Yes, I’m sure. It’s something that I’ve thought a lot about lately and I’m sure. I want you to make love to me, Harry.”

There is was again. His first name. It would always be his undoing when it came from her. He stroked her cheek and gently pressed his lips to hers. “Alright then.”

\-----00000-----

It wasn’t too much later that the guys started clearing out. Most were taking the party back to the clubhouse, but Jax was perfectly content to spend the evening watching his son sleep with Leah by his side. Abel had been put to bed just a little bit before and now his mom, Leah, and Bella were finishing up the clean-up. He had seen Sue and Seth leave earlier, with Chibs not far behind them. Bella had expressed a suspicion to him earlier about what was going on with her father and Leah’s mother and he had to agree. She didn’t seem to mind it though so he wasn’t going to either. He was glad cleaning didn’t take long because he was ready to collapse in the rocker in the nursery and just chill.

Leah nudged Bella when she caught her glancing at Opie for about the hundredth time. “You got your bag?” Bella’s eyes widened. In the rush to get back to Jax’s, she had left the bag sitting on her bed. She smacked her face and that was all the answer Leah needed. “Well, you best get to gettin’ girl. I think you’re man is ready to go.”

Bella looked over at Opie who was talking quietly to Ellie and Kenny who looked excited. The idea of a sleepover at Gemma’s was a good thing because they more often than not got away with murder. He gave them both hugs and kisses on the head then proceeded to relay his gratitude to Gemma and give out his goodbyes. He caught her eye and nodded towards the door before heading that direction. Bella squeezed Leah’s hand and quickly followed.

Opie was leaning against his bike and had just lit a cigarette. He took a long drag, blowing the smoke into the night sky. Bella walked up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He rested a hand on her back and kissed the top of her head. They stood like that for a while as Opie smoked, just enjoying each other. Bella finally pulled slightly away as he tossed the butt on the ground, stomping it out.

“I need to run to my dad’s. I had um, packed a back and I forgot it there.” Bella blushed slightly but Opie just chuckled at her.

“Alright, you do that, I’m gonna head to the house. Maybe set the mood.” He smirked at her as her blush darkened. He pressed a kiss full of promise to her lips and released her. Pulling his leg over the bike, he grabbed the helmet from the handle bars and strapped it on his head. “Don’t take long, babe.”

Bella shook her head and waved as he cranked the bike up and walked it back down the driveway. He revved it a few times before taking off towards his home. Bella turned back to the door to get her purse and keys so she could head to his house. She was almost dizzy with excitement over the coming night. Everything Opie had said to her that night was exactly what she needed to hear and she was more than ready. It was going to be a perfect night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Two days in a row! Go me. I’m kinda iffy about this one. I like it, but I feel it wasn’t nearly as action packed as the last and I don’t want to be boring. But we need slower chapters every once in a while I suppose. Anywho, thanks once again (not gonna lie, I’ll probably thank you very chapter lol) for all the reviews and such. They seriously keep me going. It’s Friday so I make no guarantees on the next posting. Keep up the reviews and I hope you enjoyed this!


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